DEVICE HAVING VEHICLE REMOTE CONVENIENCE CONTROL AND INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION FUNCTION ABILITIES

• US 20030025611A1
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Xing Ping
• Granted Patent: US 6,509,834 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A device (10) is presented for controlling remote convenience function at a vehicle (32) and for interpersonal communication between two operators. The device (10) has components located in a common housing (24). The components include structure (e.g., 14-22) for communicating input from an operator of the device, structure for generating radio frequency signals responsive to the input from the operator of the device, structure for receiving other radio frequency signals from another device responsive to communication input from a operator of another device, and structure for converting the other signals from the operator of the other device into output perceptible by the operator of the device. The output corresponds to the input communicated from the operator of the other device.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a remote convenience function at a vehicle and for interpersonal communication, said system comprising:

a device having components located in a common housing, said components comprising;

means for communicating inputs from an operator of said device, the inputs including a request to remotely control performance of a convenience function at the vehicle and an interpersonal communication;

means for converting the inputs from the operator of said device into radio frequency signals; and

means for transmitting the signals for receipt at the vehicle and at a component;

first means, at the vehicle, for receiving one of the transmitted signals to cause performance of the remotely requested vehicle function at the vehicle;

second means, at the component, for receiving another of the transmitted signals to convey the interpersonal communication; and

means, associated with the component, for converting the other signal into output perceptible by a person as the communication.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the component is a second vehicle, said second means for receiving is also means for receiving a transmitted signal from another device to cause performance of a remotely requested vehicle function at the second vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein said means for converting the other signal into output perceptible by a person as the communication is mounted in the second vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said means for converting the other signal into output perceptible by a person as the communication is an alphanumeric display.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein said means for converting the other signal into output perceptible by a person as the communication is a speaker.

6. The system according to claim 2 further including means, located at the second vehicle, for retransmitting the other signal, and means for receiving the retransmitted other signal, said means for receiving the retransmitted other signal being at another device operable to cause performance of a remotely requested vehicle function at the second vehicle, said means for converting the retransmitted other signal into output perceptible by a person as the communication being at the other device.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the component is another device to cause performance of a remotely requested vehicle function at a second vehicle.

8. A device for controlling a remote convenience function at a vehicle and for interpersonal communication, said device having components located in a common housing, said components comprising:

means for communicating input from an operator of said device;

means for converting the input from the operator of said device into radio frequency signals;

means for transmitting the signals for receipt by one of the vehicle and another device;

means for receiving another radio frequency signal transmitted from the other device, the other signal being generated from communication input from an operator of the other device; and

means for converting the other signal into output perceptible by the operator of said device, the output corresponding to the input communication from the operator of the other device.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein said means for communicating input from the operator of said device includes a microphone for receiving verbal communication from the operator of said device and a switch for causing transmission of the signal conveying the verbal communication for reception by the other device.

10. The device according to claim 8 wherein said means for communicating input from the operator of said device includes a plurality of fingertip switches, and said switches including switches for selecting a pre-programmed text message from a plurality of pre-programmed text messages and a switch for controlling transmission of the signal conveying the text message to the other device for reception by the operator of the other device.

11. The device according to claim 8 wherein said means for communicating input from an operator of said device includes a plurality of finger tip switches, said switches including a switch for transmitting a signal to the vehicle for unlocking the vehicle door lock mechanism, a switch for transmitting a signal to the vehicle for locking the vehicle door lock mechanism and a switch for transmitting a signal to the vehicle for releasing the truck of the vehicle.

12. The device according to claim 8 wherein said means for converting the input into radio frequency signal includes a transceiver having transceive circuitry.

13. The device according to claim 12 wherein said transceive circuitry includes memory means for storing the plurality of pre-programmed text messages.

14. The device according to claim 12 wherein said transceive circuitry includes said means for converting the other signal into output perceptible by the operator of said device.

15. The device according to claim 12 wherein, said device includes a liquid crystal display located on said housing of said device for displaying one of the plurality of pre-programmed text messages.

16. The device according to claim 8 wherein, the output perceptible by the operator of said device is audible sound and said means for converting the signal from the other device into the audible sound includes a speaker.

17. A system comprising:

first and second devices, each of said first and second devices for performing the combination of controlling a vehicle remote convenience function and an interpersonal communication function, said first device being operated by a first operator, said second device being operated by a second operator, each of said first and second devices having components located in a common housing, said components of said first device comprising;

means for receiving a communication signal from said second device;

means for processing the communication signal received from said second device to provide communication to the first operator;

means for processing input from the first operator indicating which of the functions to perform;

means for generating a communication signal and a vehicle remote convenience function signal from the first operator input; and

means for transmitting the communication signal from said first device for receipt by said second device, and for transmitting the vehicle remote convenience function signal from said first device for receipt by a vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the communication signal correspond to a verbal message.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the communication signal correspond to a text message.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the vehicle remote access function corresponds to a function of locking the vehicle doors, a function of unlocking the vehicle doors, or a function of releasing the truck of the vehicle.