Vehicle security system having advanced wireless function-programming capability

• US 20030058083A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Directed, LLC (VOXX International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DEI Headquarters Inc (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Birchfield, Jerry Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 6,700,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2025/1016 Remote signals alerting owner or authorities, e.g. radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices

Abstract

A vehicle security system for performing selectable vehicle security functions that are programmable in a wireless manner. The system has a microcontroller controlling a vehicle security interface including at least a siren control unit and a vehicle head/signal light controlling unit. A physically independent remote programming unit is used for transmitting function-programming information to the microcontroller, and a radio receiver is connected to the microcontroller for receiving function-programming information transmitted by the remote programming unit. The remote programming unit includes a switch array for setting up a security function code pattern representing the selected security functions. The remote programming unit also includes a radio transmitter for sending, in an electromagnetic transmission, the function-programming command in a signal string representing the security function code pattern to the microcontroller. The microcontroller stores, in an onboard memory, data identifying the security functions conveyed in a security function code pattern received from the remote programming unit. The programmed functions control the various vehicle security function units. The security system provides an easy function-programming capability without having to remove any system components from the vehicle and without having to use any special and expensive additional equipment.

Claims

1. A remote programming apparatus for remotely programming a system base unit via a wireless link using function setting indicia and data, said apparatus comprising;

a power source;

a controller;

user operable switches;

an electromagnetic signal transmitter;

a display;

a non-volatile program memory; and

a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller and holding the instructions that control the operation of the controller for formatting and transmitting said function setting indicia and data.

2. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the non-volatile instruction memory includes instructions to:

a) load the function-programming menu for said base unit,

b) to scroll through a list of programmable features and their settings,

c) display the names of user selectable features and their settings on said display,

d) to alter the value of function setting indicia and data,

e) display the names of altered user selectable features and their settings on said display,

f) transmit said user selected command string to said base unit.

3. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said system base unit is part of one of a vehicle security system, a keyless entry system, or a user convenience system, and wherein said new function settings are stored in said operation memory to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions.

4. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source, the controller, the user operable switches, the display, the non-volatile instruction memory, and the non-volatile programming memory of said remote programmer are substituted by one of a personal computer, a laptop personal computer and a personal digital assistant

5. The remote programming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter of said remote programmer is part of remote programming circuitry that is peripherally attached to or integrally fixed into one of a personal computer, a laptop personal computer, and a personal digital assistant.

6. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the power source is a battery.

7. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the power source is alternating current power source.

8. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter.

9. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display, on which a representation of at least part of the function programming matrix is displayed.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display comprises a graphical interface.

11. A system for programming a security system base unit with a remote programmer, loading the function-programming menu for said base unit, using said remote programmer to alter function setting indicia and data for selected steps in said menu of the said base unit, transmit a command string comprising a function programming command and function setting indicia and data from said remote programmer to said base unit, said transmit being done via an electromagnetic signal link, wherein the altered function-programming settings are stored to dictate the behavior of the base controller'"'"'s functions, said apparatus comprising:

a remote programmer comprising;

a power source;

a controller;

user operable switches;

an electromagnetic signal transmitter;

a display;

a non-volatile program memory; and

a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller holding instructions that control the operation of the controller, including instructions to;

a) load the function-programming menu for said base unit,

b) to scroll through a list of programmable features and their settings,

c) display the names of user selectable features and their settings on said display,

d) to alter the value of function setting indicia and data,

e) display the names of altered user selectable features and their settings on said display,

f) transmit said user selected command string to said base unit;

a base unit comprising;

a controller;

an electromagnetic signal receiver;

an output signaling device;

a non-volatile programmable operation memory; and

a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller holding instructions that control the operation of the controller, including instructions to;

a) determine whether or not a function-programming code is received,

b) signal the user that, the system acknowledges the function-programming code and that said base unit is responding accordingly,

c) load function-programming settings,

d) alter function-programming settings as required by function setting indicia and data received,

e) store function-programming settings in said base unit'"'"'s non-volatile operation memory, to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions,

f) determine whether a security event has occurred in a default system monitoring operation if the function-programming code is not received, and

g) initiate a security system operational function in response to a determination that a security event has occurred.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said controller of said base unit is part of one of a vehicle security system, a keyless entry system, or a user convenience system, and wherein said new function settings are stored in said operation memory to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the user notification signals are predetermined chirps and/or lights flashed in predetermined patterns.

14. A method of remotely programming a base unit using a remote programmer, wherein function-programming menu data is loaded from non-volatile memory, selected data is altered by the user of the remote programmer, and sent to the base unit with function setting indicia to control sorting and storage in the operation memory to dictate the behavior of the base unit'"'"'s functions, said method comprising the steps of;

a) the remote programmer loading function-programming menu data from memory;

b) the remote programmer displaying said data for manipulation;

c) the user scrolling through said data on the display;

d) user altering value of selected function-programming data;

e) altered data being displayed on said display;

f) the user then initiating a transmission of said data and function setting indicia;

g) the base unit receiving said data and said indicia;

h) the base unit loading specified function-programming settings from operation memory;

i) the base unit sorting and altering said data as indicated by said indicia and storeing said data in said operation memory to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of producing at least one of a visual and audible acknowledgement signal upon receipt of the user selectable command string.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the base unit is a part of a vehicle security system.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the base unit is a part of a keyless entry system.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the base unit is a part of a user convenience system.

19. An apparatus for programming a base unit with a remote programmer, load the function-programming menu from remote programmer memory for said base unit, using said remote programmer to alter function-programming indicia and data for selected steps in said menu of said base unit, transmit a command string comprising a function programming command and function setting indicia and data from said remote programmer to said base unit, said transmit being done via an electromagnetic signal link, wherein the new function-programming setting data is manipulated and stored in operation memory to dictate the behavior of the base controller'"'"'s functions, said apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a controller;

user operable switches;

an electromagnetic signal transmitter;

a display;

a non-volatile programming memory; and

a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller holding instructions that control the operation of the controller, including instructions to;

a) load the function-programming menu for said base unit from remote programmer memory,

b) scroll through the list of programmable features and their settings as represented in the function-programming menu for said base unit,

c) display the names of the user settable features and the corresponding value or meaning for that feature in the function-programming menu for said base unit, on said display,

d) alter the value,

e) display the names of the altered user settable features and the corresponding value or meaning for that feature, on said display,

f) transmit the function programming command and function setting indicia and data to the base unit for manipulation and storage in the operation memory, to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions.