Apparatus and method of calibrating a keyless transmitter

• US 20030063012A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Automative, Inc. (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alps Automative, Inc. (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dulgerian, James, McDowell, Charles, Leichtfried, Wilhelm
• Granted Patent: US 6,864,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A crystal-less keyless entry system includes a micro controller, a timing circuit, a memory, and a radio frequency circuit. The memory and timing circuit are a unitary part of the microprocessor. The memory is programmed with a compensation that adjusts an output frequency of the timing circuit such that the output frequency of the timing circuit does not coincide with a frequency discontinuity that occurs within an output of the timing circuit. A method of calibrating the crystal-less keyless entry system includes programming the temperature compensation and a voltage compensation in the memory.

Claims

1. A crystal-less remote keyless entry system, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a radio frequency circuit electrically coupled to the microprocessor;

a timing circuit electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the timing circuit being a unitary part of the microprocessor; and

a memory electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the memory being programmed with a compensation that adjusts an output frequency of the timing circuit such that the output frequency of the timing circuit does not coincide with a frequency discontinuity that occurs within an output of the timing circuit.

2. The crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 1 further comprising a test fixture electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

3. The crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 2 further comprising a receiver positioned within the test fixture electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

4. The crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 3 wherein the test fixture is configured to program the memory with a look up table that retains compensation data for a temperature and a voltage variation.

5. The crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 3 wherein the test fixture is configured to issue commands that changes at least two registers within the memory that compensate for frequency variations within the output of the timing circuit.

6. The crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 3 wherein the microprocessor, the radio frequency circuit, the timing circuit, and the memory comprise a key fob.

7. A crystal-less remote keyless entry system, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a radio frequency circuit electrically coupled to the microprocessor;

a timing circuit electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the timing circuit being a unitary part of the microprocessor;

a memory electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the memory being programmed with an oscillator calibration factor that adjusts an output frequency of the timing circuit; and

a test fixture electrically coupled to the microprocessor, the test fixture being configured to program the memory with a frequency compensation that ensures an output frequency of the timing circuit does not coincide with a frequency discontinuity within an output of the timing circuit.

8. The crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 7 wherein the test fixture is further configured to program the memory with voltage compensation values.

9. A method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system, comprising:

coupling a transmitter to a test fixture, the transmitter comprising a microprocessor which is a unitary part of a timing circuit and a memory, the microprocessor being electrically coupled to a radio frequency circuit;

programming the memory with a factor that compensates for a discontinuity in an output clock frequency of the timing circuit; and

validating the output frequency of the timing circuit through a range of operating voltages of the transmitter.

10. The method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 9 wherein crystal-less remote keyless entry system is a hands free system.

11. The method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 9 wherein the act of programming the memory with the factor that compensates for the discontinuity in output frequency of the timing circuit comprises programming a K-factor and a content of an oscillator calibration register.

12. The method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 9 wherein the timing circuit comprises a plurality of frequency dependent components individually coupled to a plurality of switches under the control of an oscillator calibration register resident to the microprocessor.

13. The method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 12 wherein the frequency dependent components comprise a plurality of capacitors.

14. The method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 9 wherein the timing circuit comprises a plurality of capacitors respectively coupled to a plurality of switches.

15. A method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system, comprising:

coupling a transmitter to a test fixture, the transmitter comprising a micro-controller in which a timing circuit and a memory are a unitary part of the micro-controller, the micro-controller being electrically coupled to a radio frequency circuit;

programming the memory with a K-factor that compensates for discontinuities in output frequencies of the timing circuit; and

validating the output frequency of the timing circuit through a range of operating voltages and operating frequencies of the transmitter.

16. The method of calibrating a crystal-less remote keyless entry system of claim 15 further comprising calibrating an oscillator calibration factor in the memory that compensates for a frequency drift.