Vehicle remote control interface for controlling multiple electronic devices

• US 20060200364A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AAMP of America
• Original Assignee: AAMP of America
• Inventors: Riggs, Brett D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/027 Remotely controlled remote control systems in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

An interface device for interconnecting fixed controls of a vehicle to electronic devices. The interface device is capable of receiving control signals from fixed controls, such as steering wheel controls, backseat controls, handlebar controls, and the like, and then transmitting corresponding control signals to the electronic devices. In one aspect, the device is programmable such that the interface device emits signals corresponding to the same signals that would be emitted from a handheld remote control sold in conjunction with the different electronic devices. In one embodiment, the device is an interface between the fixed controls and a replacement stereo receiver. In another embodiment, the device is capable of recognizing spoken voice commands and generating corresponding IR signals in order to control the electronic devices. In still another embodiment, the device is an interface between the fixed controls and multiple electronic devices, such as an audio and video component.

Claims

1. A method of controlling both an existing entertainment device and an additional entertainment device in a vehicle with a user interface originally configured to control the existing entertainment device, the method comprising:

adapting the user interface to selectively send control signals to the additional entertainment device;

sending control signals from the user interface device to the existing entertainment device in response to user manipulation of the user interface device;

detecting whether the user has selected the additional entertainment device; and

sending control signals from the user interface device to the additional entertainment device in response to user selection of the additional entertainment device and user manipulation of the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether the user has selected the additional entertainment device comprises detecting whether the user has activated a dedicated selection switch to select the additional entertainment device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether the user has selected the additional entertainment device comprises detecting a pre-selected pattern of user manipulation of the user interface device to detect that the user has selected the additional entertainment device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises sending audio signals to occupants in the vehicle from the existing entertainment device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises sending video signals to occupants in the vehicle from the additional entertainment device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether the user has selected the additional entertainment device includes detecting a recognizable signal that induces the user interface to send control signals to the additional entertainment device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the user interface to selectively send control signals to the additional entertainment device comprises positioning a control interface device between the user interface and the existing entertainment device such that the control interface device selectively sends control signals from the user interface device to at least one of the existing entertainment device and the additional entertainment device in response to user manipulation of the user interface device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein sending control signals from the user interface device to the additional entertainment device includes sending wireless control signals from the control interface device to the additional entertainment device in response to user manipulation of the user interface device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending wireless control signals from the control interface device to the additional entertainment device includes sending infrared (IR) control signals from the control interface device to the additional entertainment device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein sending wireless control signals from the control interface device to the additional entertainment device includes sending radio frequency (RF) control signals from the control interface device to the additional entertainment device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises programming the control interface device to selectively send control signals from the user interface device to at least one of the existing entertainment device and the additional entertainment device in response to user manipulation of the user interface device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein programming the control interface device includes:

(i) receiving remote control signals from a handheld remote control device associated with the additional entertainment device in response to a programmer depressing function keys on the handheld remote control device;

(ii) identifying operational control functions corresponding to the received remote control signals of the handheld remote control device; and

(ii) producing wireless control signals corresponding to the identified operational control functions in response to the programmer activating the user interface in a manner so as to control the additional entertainment device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises storing at least one remote control signal corresponding to the operational control functions of the handheld remote control device associated with the additional entertainment device such that subsequent activation of the user interface results in at least one corresponding wireless control signal being transmitted to the additional entertainment device.