System and method for providing an in-vehicle transmitter having multi-colored LED

• US 20070008065A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Shearer, Carl, Bos, Jeremy, Witkowski, Todd, Jarocha, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.900
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23297 Remote load of program with cellular, wireless, satellite connection
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A wireless control system for wireless control of a remote electronic system configured to provide information to a user using a multi-colored LED. The system includes a transmitter circuit configured to transmit a wireless control signal having control data which will control the remote electronic system, a multi-colored light emitting diode display configured to provide an indication of a state of the wireless control system, and a control circuit coupled to the trainable transmitter circuit configured to transmit the wireless control signal through the trainable transmitter circuit based on the state of the wireless control system.

Claims

1. A wireless control system for wireless control of a remote electronic system configured to provide information to a user, comprising:

a transmitter circuit configured to transmit a wireless control signal having control data which will control the remote electronic system;

a control circuit coupled to the transmitter circuit configured to transmit the wireless control signal using the trainable transmitter circuit based on a state of the wireless control system; and

a multi-colored light emitting diode display configured to provide an indication of the state of the wireless control system.

2. The wireless control system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle interior element coupled to the transmitter circuit and the control circuit, wherein the wireless control system is configured for mounting in a vehicle interior.

3. The wireless control system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle interior element is an overhead console, a visor, or an instrument panel.

4. The wireless control system of claim 1, further including a receiver circuit configured to receive a wireless signal, wherein the control circuit is configured to identify and store a data code on the wireless signal, and wherein the wireless control signal transmitted by the transmitter circuit includes the stored data code.

5. The wireless control system of claim 4, wherein the transmitter circuit is a trainable transmitter circuit configured to receive the wireless control signal from an original transmitter for the remote electronic system.

6. The wireless control system of claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to use the multi-colored light emitting diode display to provide feedback indicative of received signal strength during a training mode.

7. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to change the state of the wireless control system and the color of the light emitting diode display based upon receipt of a change of state instruction.

8. The wireless control system of claim 7, wherein the light emitting diode display is a single multi-colored light emitting diode.

9. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the remote electronic system is a garage door opener.

20. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to use the multi-colored light emitting diode display to provide feedback indicative of the status of an remote electronic system.

21. The wireless control system of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is configured to use the multi-colored light emitting diode display to display a green color to indicate a successful operation by the remote electronic system.

10. A wireless control system for wireless control of a remote electronic system configured to provide information to a user using a multi-colored LED, comprising:

a trainable transmitter circuit configured to transmit a wireless control signal having control data which will control the remote electronic system;

a control circuit coupled to the trainable transmitter circuit having a training mode; and

a multi-colored light emitting diode display coupled to the transmitter circuit configured to indicate a received signal strength during the training mode.

11. The wireless control system of claim 10, further comprising a vehicle interior element coupled to the trainable transmitter circuit and the control circuit, wherein the wireless control system is configured for mounting in a vehicle interior.

12. The wireless control system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle interior element is an overhead console, a visor, or an instrument panel.

13. The wireless control system of claim 10, further including a receiver circuit configured to receive a wireless signal, wherein the control circuit is configured to identify and store a data code on the wireless signal, and wherein the wireless control signal transmitted by the trainable transmitter circuit includes the stored data code.

14. The wireless control system of claim 10, wherein the control circuit is further configured to utilize the multi-colored light emitting diode display to indicate a current state of the wireless control system.

15. The wireless control system of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is configured to change the state of the wireless control system and the color of the light emitting diode display based upon receipt of a change of state instruction.

16. The wireless control system of claim 10, wherein the light emitting diode display is a single multi-colored light emitting diode.

17. A method of providing feedback to a user of a wireless control system for wireless control of a remote electronic system, comprising:

receiving a wireless control signal;

determining the signal strength of the received wireless control signal; and

modifying the color of a multi-colored light emitting diode based on the signal strength of the received wireless control signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further including modifying the color of the multi-colored light emitting diode based upon successful training of the wireless control system to the received wireless control signal.

19. The method of claim 17, further including displaying a color at the initiation of the training mode indicative of a state of the wireless control system.