REMOTE PROGRAMMER FOR A VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20070233342A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Dicroce, Peter Stouffer, Shane Wilson
• Original Assignee: John Dicroce, Peter Stouffer, Shane Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Shane, Stouffer, Peter, DiCroce, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• 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: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device

Abstract

A remote programmer for remotely programming a vehicle control system is provided. The remote programmer includes a display, an input for receiving user input data, a first interface for interfacing with a computer, wherein the first interface receives data associated with programming the vehicle control system from the computer; a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the data associated with programming the vehicle control system to the vehicle control system; and a controller for controlling operations of the remote programmer, wherein the controller stores the data associated with programming the vehicle control system and controls operations of the first interface and the transmitter in accordance with the user input data.

Claims

1. A method for operating a remote programmer to provide a vehicle control system and a remote control device that operates the vehicle control system with updated feature programming data, comprising:

receiving, at an input of the remote programmer, a request for updated feature programming data for the vehicle control system and the remote control device;

sending the request, from a first external interface of the remote programmer, to a computer;

receiving, at the first external interface, updated feature programming data for the vehicle control system and the remote control device, from the computer;

storing, in a memory of the remote programmer, the updated feature programming data;

receiving, at the input, a selection of an updated feature to be programmed into the vehicle control system and a selection of an updated feature to be programmed into the remote control device; and

transmitting, from a transmitter of the remote programmer, data corresponding to the feature selected to be programmed into the vehicle control system to the vehicle control system and data corresponding to the feature selected to be programmed into the remote control device to the remote control device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, on a display of the remote programmer, a graphical representation of the updated feature programming data during the selection of the updated features to be programmed into the vehicle control system and remote control device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first external interface is a universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet, FireWire, radio frequency (RF), or infrared (IR) interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is an RF or IR transceiver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is a keypad or a graphical user interface located on a display of the remote programmer.

6. A method for using a remote programmer to remotely program a vehicle control system and a remote control device that operates the vehicle control system, comprising:

receiving, at the remote programmer, a selection of a feature to be programmed into the vehicle control system and a selection of a feature to be programmed into the remote control device;

transmitting, from the remote programmer, data corresponding to the feature selected to be programmed into the vehicle control system to the vehicle control system and data corresponding to the feature selected to be programmed into the remote control device to the remote control device;

receiving and storing, at the vehicle control system, the data to be programmed into the vehicle control system; and

receiving and storing, at the remote control device, the data to be programmed into the remote control device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the vehicle control system interfaces with electronic input and output devices of a vehicle, wherein upon receipt of an instruction sent from the remote control device, the vehicle control system causes a function associated with the feature programmed into the vehicle control system to be performed by at least one of the electronic input and output devices.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing, at the remote control device, a function associated with the feature programmed into the remote control device in response to an instruction input to the remote control device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the vehicle control system interfaces with electronic input and output devices of a vehicle, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the remote programmer, a selection of an electronic input or output device to be programmed with updated feature programming data;

transmitting, from the remote programmer to the vehicle control system, a query requesting the selected electronic input or output device to provide its manufacturer'"'"'s identification;

receiving, at the remote programmer, the manufacturer identification of the electronic input or output device, from the vehicle control system; and

using the manufacturer identification of the electronic input or output device;

accessing the manufacturer'"'"'s website via an external interface of the remote programmer, and downloading updated feature programming data for the electronic input or output device from the manufacturer'"'"'s website.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at the remote programmer, a selection of an updated feature to be programmed into the electronic input or output device;

transmitting, from the remote programmer to the vehicle control system, data corresponding to the feature selected to be programmed into the electronic input or output device; and

receiving and storing, at the vehicle control system, the data to be programmed into the electronic input or output device.