A vehicle ignition lockout assembly for prevented a monitored user from driving a vehicle includes a monitoring device and an ignition controller. The monitoring device comprises a transmitter and can be selectively locked, by a monitoring party, around an ankle or a wrist of a monitored user so that the monitored user is prevented from detaching the monitoring device from their person. The ignition controller comprises a receiver and is mountable to an element of a vehicle proximate to an ignition relay of the vehicle. The ignition controller also is operationally engageable to the ignition relay. When the monitored user is positioned in a driver's seat of the vehicle, the receiver and the transmitter are in wireless communication and the ignition controller deactuates the ignition relay. The vehicle is operable when the monitored user is seated elsewhere in the vehicle.

A vehicle ignition lockout assembly for prevented a monitored user from driving a vehicle includes a monitoring device and an ignition controller. The monitoring device comprises a transmitter and can be selectively locked, by a monitoring party, around an ankle or a wrist of a monitored user so that the monitored user is prevented from detaching the monitoring device from their person. The ignition controller comprises a receiver and is mountable to an element of a vehicle proximate to an ignition relay of the vehicle. The ignition controller also is operationally engageable to the ignition relay. When the monitored user is positioned in a driver's seat of the vehicle, the receiver and the transmitter are in wireless communication and the ignition controller deactuates the ignition relay. The vehicle is operable when the monitored user is seated elsewhere in the vehicle.

An ignition start system in which authentication of a key is carried out twice, first to activate the ignition switch to allow starting the engine and second at the time prior to moving the vehicle from a parked position. The two step authentication prevents driving off in a car that has been started without having the key for security purposes and also to avoid inconvenient situations that can otherwise occur.

An ignition start system in which authentication of a key is carried out twice, first to activate the ignition switch to allow starting the engine and second at the time prior to moving the vehicle from a parked position. The two step authentication prevents driving off in a car that has been started without having the key for security purposes and also to avoid inconvenient situations that can otherwise occur.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally pertain to a vehicle inhibitor with an enhanced user interface and a system and method for overriding a vehicle inhibitor. This disclosure may be useful for providing an emergency override function for vehicle loan repayment enforcement systems that have wireless user interface modules, and that have become lost or inoperable when needed to generate an emergency override signal. Further, the present disclosure addresses this problem while mitigating additional system cost and additional components. This disclosure includes a method of providing an emergency override function for vehicle loan repayment enforcement systems that have wireless user interface modules, and that have become lost or inoperable when needed to generate an emergency override signal. Further this disclosure includes a method of providing a disablement override function for vehicle loan repayment enforcement systems, wired or wireless, that allows vehicle operation past the grace period in those locations where complete disablement may be limited.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally pertain to a vehicle inhibitor with an enhanced user interface and a system and method for overriding a vehicle inhibitor. This disclosure may be useful for providing an emergency override function for vehicle loan repayment enforcement systems that have wireless user interface modules, and that have become lost or inoperable when needed to generate an emergency override signal. Further, the present disclosure addresses this problem while mitigating additional system cost and additional components. This disclosure includes a method of providing an emergency override function for vehicle loan repayment enforcement systems that have wireless user interface modules, and that have become lost or inoperable when needed to generate an emergency override signal. Further this disclosure includes a method of providing a disablement override function for vehicle loan repayment enforcement systems, wired or wireless, that allows vehicle operation past the grace period in those locations where complete disablement may be limited.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle.

It is provided for the method to include the following steps: Providing several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device, determining an event at the vehicle and evaluating the several provided evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device with respect to the vehicle in response to determining the event at the vehicle.

The invention is based on the object of detecting the relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle with a higher accuracy so that it may be determined reliably whether the mobile terminal device has been left back in the vehicle when leaving the vehicle, whether the mobile terminal device is located within the vehicle after a person has entered the vehicle, and/or whether the mobile terminal device is located within the vehicle when the vehicle starts driving or when the motor of the vehicle is started.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle.

It is provided for the method to include the following steps: Providing several evaluation signals which are changeable by a change of position of the mobile terminal device, determining an event at the vehicle and evaluating the several provided evaluation signals for detecting the relative position of the mobile terminal device with respect to the vehicle in response to determining the event at the vehicle.

The invention is based on the object of detecting the relative position of a mobile terminal device with respect to a vehicle with a higher accuracy so that it may be determined reliably whether the mobile terminal device has been left back in the vehicle when leaving the vehicle, whether the mobile terminal device is located within the vehicle after a person has entered the vehicle, and/or whether the mobile terminal device is located within the vehicle when the vehicle starts driving or when the motor of the vehicle is started.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing a vehicle safety lock assembly are described herein. For example, according to one embodiment there is a vehicle safety lock assembly system including a sensor of a docking unit to sense a nearby mobile device, in which the docking unit is coupled with a vehicle having an electronic control unit, an ignition system, and a first relay, in which the first relay is to signal from the electronic control unit to the ignition system to start the vehicle's ignition; the docking unit to request a first inhibitory signal from a cloud service and to forward the first inhibitory signal to the electronic control unit to inhibit the first relay; a transmitter to send a docking signal to the cloud service indicating that the mobile device has been docked at the docking unit; a receiver to receive a registration confirmation signal indicating that the mobile device is registered with the cloud service; the docking unit to send a second inhibitory signal, responsive to receiving the registration confirmation signal to restrict functionality of pre-selected features on the mobile device when the mobile device is docked; the docking unit to send an authentication request to the cloud service requesting authentication for the mobile device; the docking unit to receive authentication from the cloud service and to forward the authentication to the electronic control unit, in which the electronic control unit is to authenticate the mobile device based on the authentication; and the docking unit to transmit a releasing signal through the electronic control unit upon authentication to start the vehicle's ignition. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing a vehicle safety lock assembly are described herein. For example, according to one embodiment there is a vehicle safety lock assembly system including a sensor of a docking unit to sense a nearby mobile device, in which the docking unit is coupled with a vehicle having an electronic control unit, an ignition system, and a first relay, in which the first relay is to signal from the electronic control unit to the ignition system to start the vehicle's ignition; the docking unit to request a first inhibitory signal from a cloud service and to forward the first inhibitory signal to the electronic control unit to inhibit the first relay; a transmitter to send a docking signal to the cloud service indicating that the mobile device has been docked at the docking unit; a receiver to receive a registration confirmation signal indicating that the mobile device is registered with the cloud service; the docking unit to send a second inhibitory signal, responsive to receiving the registration confirmation signal to restrict functionality of pre-selected features on the mobile device when the mobile device is docked; the docking unit to send an authentication request to the cloud service requesting authentication for the mobile device; the docking unit to receive authentication from the cloud service and to forward the authentication to the electronic control unit, in which the electronic control unit is to authenticate the mobile device based on the authentication; and the docking unit to transmit a releasing signal through the electronic control unit upon authentication to start the vehicle's ignition. Other related embodiments are disclosed.