Remote feedback for vehicle key fob functions

• US 20060220806A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Huan T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,504,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.360
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling operation of a vehicle. The apparatus includes, but is not limited to, an input configured to receive an action of the operator that is indicative of the operation to be performed by the vehicle and a transmitter that is configured to send a first signal via a wireless connection with the vehicle that at least partially embodies a command for the action of the operator received by the input. In addition, the apparatus comprises a receiver configured to receive a second signal via the wireless connection with the vehicle that at least partially embodies feedback from a sensor of the vehicle indicative of the operation resulting from the command at least partially embodied by the first signal sent by the transmitter. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises an output configured to present information to the operator on the operation based at least in part on the feedback in the second signal received by the receiver.

Claims

1. A portable control device configured to provide an operator with control of an operation of a vehicle, comprising:

an input configured to receive an action of the operator that is indicative of the operation to be performed by the vehicle;

a transmitter configured to send a first signal via an at least partly wireless connection with the vehicle that at least partially embodies a command for the action of the operator received by the input;

a receiver configured to receive a second signal via the at least partly wireless connection with the vehicle that at least partially embodies feedback from a sensor of the vehicle indicative of the operation resulting from the command at least partially embodied by the first signal sent by the transmitter; and

an output configured to present information to the operator on the operation based at least in part on the feedback in the second signal received by the receiver.

2. The portable control device of claim 1, wherein said output is a visual display.

3. The portable control device of claim 1, wherein said visual display is an alphanumeric visual display.

4. The portable control device of claim 1, wherein said output is an audio annunciator.

5. The portable control device of claim 2, wherein the visual display comprises a light emitter having a color indicative of the operation.

6. The portable control device of claim 2, wherein the visual display comprises a light emitter having an amplitude indicative of the operation.

7. The portable control device of claim 5, wherein the input comprises an element having greater than two states.

8. The portable control device of claim 1, wherein the at least partly wireless connection comprises a cell phone or Internet connection.

9. The portable control device of claim 1, wherein the portable control device is configured to send instructions to the vehicle altering the vehicle'"'"'s responds to subsequent commands.

10. The portable control device of claim 1 wherein the input comprises one or more user actuated functions that cause available operations that can be performed by the vehicle to be presented by the output so that the operator so can thereby select the particular operation desired to be performed by the vehicle.

11. A method for operating a portable control device that is configured to provide an operator with control of an operation of a vehicle, comprising:

sensing an input provided to the portable control device by the operator that is indicative of the operation to be performed by the vehicle;

transmitting a first signal to the vehicle via at least a partly wireless connection that at least partially embodies a command for the operation to be performed by the vehicle;

receiving a second signal from the vehicle via the same or another at least partly wireless connection that at least partially embodies feedback from the vehicle indicative of the operation; and

generating an output that presents information to the operator on the operation based at least in part on the feedback.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of translating the input into the command.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of generating the output comprises generating a visual output.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of generating a visual output comprises generating an alphanumeric visual output.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of generating the output comprises generating an audio output.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said visual output comprises a color indicative of the operation.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of transmitting via an at least partly wireless connection comprises transmitting at least partly via a cell phone or an Internet connection or both.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of receiving via an at least partly wireless connection comprises receiving at least partly via a cell phone or an Internet connection or both.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of sensing an input comprises sensing the input at least partly via an audible sound.

20. A system configured to provide an operator with control of an operation of a vehicle, comprising:

a control device that is portable with respect to the vehicle, said control device comprising;

an input configured to receive an action of the operator that is indicative of the operation to be performed by the vehicle;

a first transmitter configured to send a first signal that at least partially embodies a command for the action of the operator received by the input;

a first receiver configured to receive a second signal that at least partially embodies feedback indicative of the operation resulting from the command at least partially embodied by the first signal sent by the first transmitter; and

an output configured to present information to the operator based at least in part on the feedback in the second signal received by the receiver; and

an electronic control system substantially affixed to the vehicle and configured for connection to the control device via an at least partly wireless connection, said electronic control system comprising;

a second receiver configured to receive the first signal from the first transmitter via the wireless connection;

a controller configured to receive the command in the first signal sent by the first transmitter and further configured to generate a third signal that controls the operation of the vehicle;

a sensor configured to generate the feedback indicative of the operation resulting from the third signal generated by the controller; and

a second transmitter configured to send the second signal with the feedback to the first receiver via the at least partly wireless connection.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the control device further comprises:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the input;

the processor configured to;

receive a fourth signal from the input representative of the action of the operator that is indicative of the operation to be performed by the vehicle;

retrieve the command associated with the fourth signal from the memory; and

provide the command to the first transmitter for the first signal.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the output is a visual display.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the visual display is an alphanumeric visual display.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the output is an audio annunciator.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the control device comprises a cell phone function for transmitting the first signals.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein electronic control system comprises a cell phone function for receiving the first signals.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the input and output are coupled so that allowable actions that can be performed by the vehicle are presented to the operator from which the operator can make a choice of the particular action desired to be performed by the vehicle.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the control device comprises a portable computer coupled to the electronic control system at least partly via a cell phone or Internet connection or both.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the electronic control system is configured to receive instructions from the portable computer modifying execution sequences, reporting parameters, reporting frequency, allowed commands, or other information stored within the electronic control system relating to its execution of commands received from the control device.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the control device comprises an analog input.