Patent attributes
A system for transitioning a key fob between a standard operating mode and a battery conserving shipping mode includes a shipping mode controller which detects a vehicle state indicative of a vehicle shipping mode operation having been performed, and causes a shipping mode instruction signal to be sent from a vehicle to the key fob associated with that vehicle instructing the key fob to transition from the standard operating mode to the shipping mode. The vehicle shipping mode operation is an operation which initiates a transition of the vehicle from a standard operating mode to a shipping mode, and serves as a trigger for the shipping mode controller to transmit the shipping mode instruction signal. When in the shipping mode, the key fob may be entirely powered-off or have certain communication-related functions disabled.