Vehicle security system for deleting temporary master remote transmitter and related methods

• US 20030205935A1
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,828,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers

Abstract

A vehicle security system includes a plurality of uniquely-coded remote transmitters to be carried by a user for performing security functions on a vehicle. The uniquely-coded remote transmitters include a temporary master remote transmitter to operate a plurality of vehicles and at least one long-term remote transmitter to operate a designated vehicle. The vehicle security system also includes at least one controller for learning the uniquely-coded remote transmitters to enable performance of the security functions based upon signals received therefrom. The controller deletes the temporary master remote transmitter based upon a predetermined event and retains the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

Claims

1. A vehicle security system comprising:

a plurality of uniquely-coded remote transmitters comprising at least one temporary master remote transmitter to operate a plurality of vehicles and at least one long-term remote transmitter to operate a designated vehicle; and

at least one controller for installation in the designated vehicle, for learning said uniquely-coded remote transmitters to enable performance of a security function based upon signals received therefrom, and for deleting the at least one temporary master remote transmitter based upon a predetermined event and while retaining the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

2. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one controller comprises a single controller.

3. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one controller comprises:

a first controller for learning the at least one long-term remote transmitter; and

a second controller for learning the at least one temporary master remote transmitter and for deleting the at least one temporary master remote transmitter based upon the predetermined event.

4. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one controller comprises:

a first controller for controlling vehicle door locks; and

a second controller for controlling at least one additional vehicle security function.

5. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one wireless receiver connected to said at least one controller.

6. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined event comprises the passage of a predetermined time.

7. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of consecutive communications from the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

8. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined distance traveled by the designated vehicle.

9. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of vehicle ignition cycles.

10. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one controller learns the at least one temporary master remote transmitter in a different way than the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

11. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one controller comprises a memory for storing unique codes of said uniquely-coded remote transmitters.

12. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises vehicle door locks;

and wherein the vehicle security function comprises operation of the vehicle door locks.

13. A vehicle security system according to claim 12 wherein said at least one controller passively relocks the vehicle door locks.

14. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises at least one vehicle security sensor and an alarm indicator connected to said at least one controller;

and wherein the security function is switching said at least one controller between armed and disarmed modes, said at least one controller in the armed mode for operating the alarm indicator responsive to the at least one vehicle security sensor.

15. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 further comprising a valet switch connected to said at least one controller;

and wherein said at least one controller is switchable to a valet mode responsive to said valet switch and signals from the at least one long-term remote transmitter, and not switchable to the valet mode responsive to said valet switch and signals from the at least one temporary master remote transmitter.

16. A vehicle security system comprising:

a plurality of uniquely-coded remote transmitters comprising at least one temporary master remote transmitter to operate a plurality of vehicles and at least one long-term remote transmitter to operate a designated vehicle; and

a first controller and second controller for installation in the designated vehicle, said first controller for learning the at least one long-term remote transmitter and said second controller for learning the at least one temporary master remote transmitter and for deleting the at least one temporary master remote transmitter based upon a predetermined event.

17. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein said first controller is for controlling vehicle door locks and wherein said second controller is for controlling at least one additional vehicle security function.

18. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 further comprising respective wireless receivers connected to each controller.

19. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein the predetermined event comprises the passage of a predetermined time.

20. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of consecutive communications from the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

21. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined distance traveled by the designated vehicle.

22. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of vehicle ignition cycles.

23. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein said at least one controller learns the at least one temporary master remote transmitter in a different way than the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

24. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein said at least one controller comprises a memory for storing unique codes of said uniquely-coded remote transmitters.

25. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein the vehicle comprises vehicle door locks;

and wherein the vehicle security function comprises operation of the vehicle door locks.

26. A controller for a vehicle security system, the controller comprising:

a processor and a receiver connected thereto, said receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of uniquely-coded remote transmitters comprising at least one temporary master remote transmitter to operate a plurality of vehicles and at least one long-term remote transmitter to operate a designated vehicle;

said processor for learning the uniquely-coded remote transmitters to enable performance of a vehicle security function based upon signals received therefrom, and for deleting the at least one temporary master remote transmitter based upon a predetermined event and while retaining the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

27. A controller according to claim 26 wherein the predetermined event comprises the passage of a predetermined time.

28. A controller according to claim 26 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of consecutive communications from the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

29. A controller according to claim 26 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined distance traveled by the designated vehicle.

30. A controller according to claim 26 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of vehicle ignition cycles.

31. A method for operating a vehicle security system comprising:

providing a plurality of uniquely-coded remote transmitters comprising at least one temporary master remote transmitter to operate a plurality of vehicles and at least one long-term remote transmitter to operate a designated vehicle;

learning the uniquely-coded remote transmitters into at least one controller to enable performance of a vehicle security function based upon signals received from the uniquely-coded remote transmitters; and

deleting the at least one temporary master remote transmitter from the at least one controller based upon a predetermined event and retaining the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the at least one controller further comprises a first controller for learning the at least one long-term remote transmitter and a second controller for learning the at least one temporary master remote transmitter and for deleting the at least one temporary master remote transmitter based upon the predetermined event.

33. A method according to claim 31 wherein the predetermined event comprises the passage of a predetermined time.

34. A method according to claim 31 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of consecutive communications from the at least one long-term remote transmitter.

35. A method according to claim 31 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined distance traveled by the designated vehicle.

36. A method according to claim 31 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined number of vehicle ignition cycles.

37. A method according to claim 31 wherein learning the uniquely-coded remote transmitters further comprises learning the at least one temporary master remote transmitter in a different way than the at least one long-term remote transmitter.