Distance sensitive remote control systems

• US 20030080875A1
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas L. Wathen
• Original Assignee: Douglas L. Wathen
• Inventors: Wathen, Douglas L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,744,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/76 wherein pulse-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A distance sensitive remote control system includes a remote control transmitter that transmit a signal and a receiver than can receive the signal from the transmitter. A control device performs a function having a first and a second option. The control device responds to the signal received by the receiver and performs the first option if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is greater than a particular distance and performs the second option if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is less than a particular distance.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control transmitter operable to transmit a signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the remote control transmitter;

a control device configured to perform a function having a first and a second option, said control device responsive to the signal received by the receiver and operable to perform the first option if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is greater than a first predetermined distance and to perform the second option if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is less than a second predetermined distance.

2. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the function is production of an audible signal, with the first option being production of a loud audible signal and the second option being production of an audible signal that is less loud than the loud signal.

3. The remote control system according to claim 2, wherein the less loud signal is an inaudible signal.

4. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the function is door locking for an automobile and production of a confirmatory signal, with the first option being locking of the doors and production of a confirmatory signal that is audible and the second option being locking of the doors and production of a confirmatory signal that is visual.

5. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second predetermined distances are the same distance.

6. A remote control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a remote control transmitter operable to transmit a signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the remote control transmitter and to determine the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter;

a confirmation device operable to selectively produce two or more distinct confirmatory signals;

a control device in communication with the receiver and operable to control a function of the vehicle in response to the signal from the remote control, the control device further being in communication with and operable to control the confirmation device such that when the receiver receives a signal from the remote control, the control device controls the function of the vehicle and causes the confirmation device to produce one of the confirmatory signals, the confirmatory signal being produced depending on the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter.

7. The remote control system according to claim 6, wherein the confirmatory signals include at least two audible signals, a first audible signal being louder than a second audible signal, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first audible signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second audible signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than the predetermined distance.

8. The remote control system according to claim 6, wherein a first confirmatory signal is an audible signal and a second confirmatory signal is an inaudible signal, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

9. The remote control system according to claim 8, wherein the second confirmatory signal is a visual signal.

10. The remote control system according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle includes a light and the confirmatory signals include at least two distinct visual signals produced by the light.

11. The remote control system according to claim 10, wherein a first visual signal is a bright flash of light and a second visual signal is a flash of light that is less bright than the first signal, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

12. The remote control system according to claim 10, wherein a first visual signal is a sequence of light flashes having a predetermined number of flashes and a second visual signal is a sequence of light flashes having less than the predetermined number of flashes, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

13. The remote control system according to claim 10, wherein a first visual signal is an illumination of the light for a predetermined period and a second visual signal is an illumination of the light for less than the predetermined period, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

14. The remote control system according to claim 6, wherein the function of the vehicle controlled by the control device is a function selected from the group consisting of alarm arming, alarm disarming, door locking, door unlocking, and trunk opening.

15. A method of controlling a remote function comprising:

providing a remote control transmitter and a receiver;

sending a signal from the remote control transmitter to the receiver;

determining the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver;

performing a first function in response to the signal from the transmitter if the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is less than a first predetermined distance; and

performing a second function in response to the signal from the transmitter if the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is greater than a second predetermined distance.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first function includes producing a first audible signal and the second function includes producing a second audible signal that is louder than the first audible signal.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first function includes producing a visual signal and the second function includes producing an audible signal.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first function includes unlocking the door of a vehicle and the second function includes unlocking the door of the vehicle after a delay.

19. A method of controlling a remote function comprising:

providing a remote control transmitter and a receiver;

sending a signal from the remote control transmitter to the receiver;

determining the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver;

performing a function in response to the signal from the remote control transmitter;

producing a first confirmatory signal having an adjustable output level, the output level being adjusted based on the distance between the remote control transmitter and receiver.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the confirmatory signal is an audible signal and the signal loudness is adjusted based on the distance between the remote control, the loudness increasing with increasing distance.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the confirmatory signal is an audible signal and the output level is a duration, the duration of the audible signal increasing with increasing distance.