INTEGRATED REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY AND GARAGE DOOR OPENER USING A UNIVERSAL REPEATER

• US 20010011941A1
• Filed: 08/26/1998
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation EEDS and Interiors Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: TEITELBAUM, OZER M.N., KING, JOSEPH D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,525,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.64
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00222 by more than one push button
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/62 Rolling code

Abstract

A vehicle wireless transmitter system includes a portable fob and a repeater mounted in the vehicle headliner. The portable fob includes user actuated buttons and code generation circuitry for a remote keyless entry system, garage door opener system, and home security system. When the user activates the garage door opener button on the portable fob from within the vehicle, the code generated by the portable fob is repeated by the repeater mounted in the vehicle headliner and retransmitted in a more powerful signal directed through the windshield. Thus, the portable fob insures that the code generation circuitry is removed from the vehicle with the user, while the repeater insures that the transmitted signal has enough power to provide satisfactory range.

Claims

1. A vehicle transmitter system comprising:

a portable fob including a user-actuated switch, said fob generating a code in response to actuation of said user-activated switch; and

a repeater for receiving said code and re-transmitting said code.

2. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 1

wherein said repeater is permanently mounted in a vehicle.

3. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 2

wherein said repeater is mounted in a vehicle headliner.

4. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 1

wherein said code is encrypted by said fob.

5. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 4

wherein said code is rolled by said fob.

6. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 1

wherein said code is for activating a garage door opener.

7. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 1

wherein said repeater includes a receiver for receiving said code from said fob and a transmitter for retransmitting said code.

8. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 1

wherein said code is a first code for activating a garage door opener, said fob also selectively generating a second code for activating a vehicle remote keyless entry system.

9. A method for transmitting a wireless signal from a vehicle including the steps of:

a) generating a code;

b) transmitting the code in a first signal;

c) receiving the first signal;

d) re-transmitting the code received from the first signal in a wireless second signal.

10. The method of

claim 9

further including the step of encrypting the code in the first signal.

11. The method of

claim 10

wherein said steps a-b) are performed in a portable fob.

12. The method of

claim 11

wherein said steps c-d) are performed in a repeater installed in a vehicle.

13. A vehicle transmitter system comprising:

a receiver for receiving a code transmitted from within the vehicle; and

a transmitter for transmitting said code externally of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 13

further including a filter for filtering frequencies of a wireless signal received by said receiver, said wireless signal including said code.

15. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 14

wherein said filter filters out frequencies not associated with garage door openers, such that said vehicle transmitter system predominantly only transmits codes received at frequencies associated with garage door openers.

16. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 14

wherein said receiver receives a first wireless signal including said code, said transmitter transmitting a second wireless signal including said code.

17. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 16

wherein said transmitter is mounted in a vehicle.

18. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 17

wherein said transmitter is mounted in a vehicle headliner.

19. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 18

wherein said receiver is mounted in a vehicle headliner.

20. The vehicle transmitter system of

claim 19

wherein said code transmitted from said transmitter is digitally exactly the same as said code received by said receiver.

21. A portable fob transmitter comprising:

a plurality of user-actuated switches; and

at least one transmitter responsive to said user-actuated switches to selectively generate one of a plurality of codes, a first code of said plurality of codes associated with a vehicle remote keyless entry system, a second code of said plurality of codes associated with a home entry system.

22. The portable fob transmitter of

claim 21

further including code-generation circuitry generating each of said plurality of codes.

23. The portable fob transmitter of

claim 22

wherein said code-generation circuitry independently encrypts each of said codes.

24. The portable fob transmitter of

claim 21

further including code-generation circuitry for each of said plurality of codes.