Control system

• US 20070013545A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tippelt, Wolf-Torsten
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.690
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0068 in transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0081 with antenna coils loop aerials H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 Transponders

Abstract

A control system is provided for controlling an electronic device. The control system includes a control apparatus and a processing device. The control apparatus includes a transponder and a coupling unit. The transponder of the control apparatus may be configured to receive an activation signal and transmit a control signal to the processing device. The coupling unit may be configured to enable and disable transmission of the control signal to the processing device. The processing device may be configured to receive the control signal and communicate the control signal to an electronic device or utilize the control signal to control the electronic device.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a electronic device, comprising:

a control apparatus and a processing device;

the control apparatus including a transponder and a coupling unit;

the transponder being configured to receive an activation signal and transmit a control signal;

the coupling unit being configured to enable and disable transmission of the control signal;

the processing device being configured to receive the control signal and transmit a control signal to an electronic device.

2. The control system of claim 1, where the coupling unit includes a switch.

3. The control system of claim 1, where the transponder includes an antenna configured as a signal receiving unit and as a response signal transmission unit.

4. The control system of claim 3, where the coupling unit includes a switch configured to enable and disable the response signal transmission unit.

5. The control system of claim 1, where the processing device includes a control signal receiving unit.

6. The control system of claim 5, where the processing device includes a control unit configured to receive the control signal from the control signal receiving unit and transmit the control signal to the electronic device.

7. The control system of claim 1, where the processing device includes an activation signal transmission unit, configured to transmit the activation signal to the transponder.

8. The control system of claim 3, where the processing device includes an activation signal transmission unit, configured to transmit the activation signal to the signal receiving unit.

9. The control system of claim 1, including an energy supply device configured to wirelessly supply energy to the transponder.

10. The control system of claim 1, where the processing device includes an energy supply device configured to supply energy to the transponder.

11. The control system of claim 10, where the energy supply device is configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation to the transponder.

12. The control system of claim 10, where:

the transponder includes an antenna configured as a signal receiving unit and as a response signal transmission unit; and

the processing device includes an activation signal transmission unit integrated with the energy supply device and configured to transmit the activation signal to the signal receiving unit and supply energy to the transponder.

13. The control system of claim 1 further including a plurality of control apparatus.

14. The control system of claim 13 where at least two control apparatus are configured as an incrementor for selecting values, over a range, for a control parameter of the electronic device.

15. The control system of claim 1, where the processing device is configured to receive the control signal and communicate a control signal to an electronic vehicular navigation device.

16. The control system of claim 15, where the processing device is integrated with the electronic vehicular navigation device.

17. The control system of claim 1, where the processing device is configured to receive the control signal and transmit a control signal to an electronic vehicular non-navigational device.

18. A control apparatus for wireless transmission of a control signal to a processing device for controlling an electronic device, said control apparatus comprising:

a transponder having a signal receiving unit for receiving an activation signal from an external device;

a signal transmission unit for transmitting a control signal to the processing device in response to the received activation signal

a disabling unit for disabling signal transmission by said signal transmission unit and an enabling unit for enabling signal transmission by the signal transmission unit.

19. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the enabling unit is configured to be operated by a user.

20. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the transponder includes a coupling unit for coupling with an external energy supply source for power supply of said control apparatus.

21. The control apparatus of claim 20, where the coupling unit is configured to be electrically coupled to the external energy supply source.

22. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the coupling unit is configured to be inductively coupled to the external energy supply source.

23. The control apparatus of claim 18, further including an energy supply source.

24. The control apparatus of claim 18 where the enabling unit is operable by a membrane key.

25. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the enabling unit is a switch.

26. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the transponder includes at least one microchip mounted on a thin film substrate on which control data relating to the control signal is stored.

27. The control apparatus of claim 26, where the control data includes data relating to different parameters of the functions of the electronic device to be controlled.

28. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the control apparatus is configured to be mountable on a steering wheel of a vehicle.

29. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the transponder is a large-area coil for inductive coupling arranged on a thin film substrate.

30. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the transponder is a passive transponder.

31. The control apparatus of claim 18, where the transponder is an active transponder having a microchip and an internal power supply source for voltage supply of said microchip.

36. The method of claim 18, further including transmitting electromagnetic radiation from external power source.

37. The method of claim 18, further including powering the control apparatus utilizing an internal power source.

32. A method for controlling an electronic device utilizing a control apparatus having a transponder, the method comprising:

powering the control apparatus;

enabling the control apparatus;

transmitting a control signal to the electronic device utilizing a transponder; and

terminating the transmission of the control signal.

33. The method of claim 32, further including enabling the control apparatus using a coupling unit.

34. The method of claim 32, further including enabling the control apparatus using a switch.

35. The method of claim 32, further including powering the control apparatus utilizing an external power source.