REMOTE PROGRAMMER FOR A VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20110213512A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Dicroce, Peter Stouffer, Shane Wilson
• Original Assignee: John Dicroce, Peter Stouffer, Shane Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Shane, Stouffer, Peter, DiCroce, John
• Application Number:
  US13/106,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• 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 device for use in a vehicle, including: a plurality of connectors that connect the device to vehicle components, wherein the vehicle components are operated pursuant to a feature set of electronically operable functions; a memory that stores codes for defining the feature set of electronically operable functions; and a module that adapts the device to connect to a control unit that is disposed inside a vehicle through a serial communications interface, wherein the control unit is part of a remote start system installed in the vehicle, and the remote start system is provided with new functionality based on the codes stored in the memory.

Claims

1. A device for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of connectors that connect the device to vehicle components, wherein the vehicle components are operated pursuant to a feature set of electronically operable functions;

a memory that stores codes for defining the feature set of electronically operable functions; and

a module that adapts the device to connect to a control unit that is disposed inside a vehicle through a serial communications interface,

wherein the control unit is part of a remote start system installed in the vehicle, and the remote start system is provided with new functionality based on the codes stored in the memory.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein command sets are sent to and/or received from the control unit through the serial communications interface.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the serial communications interface comprises a two-way interface having at least one wire.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the module comprises codes for adapting the device to connect to the control unit.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the module further comprises codes for adapting the device to connect to different control units inside different vehicles.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the module comprises a programmable memory.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connectors and the memory are included in a base unit and the module is configured to detachably couple to the base unit.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the module is configured to detachably couple to the base unit without connecting/disconnecting wires.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connectors are pin connectors.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is operable via remote control.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory is programmable.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the memory is programmed with new codes for defining the feature set of electronically operable functions by the module.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory is configurable by the module.

14. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

a device, comprising;

a plurality of connectors that connect the device to vehicle components, wherein the vehicle components are operated pursuant to a feature set of electronically operable functions;

a memory that stores codes for defining the feature set of electronically operable functions; and

a module that adapts the device to connect to a control unit that is disposed inside a vehicle through a serial communications interface,

wherein the control unit is part of a remote start system installed in the vehicle, and the remote start system is provided with new functionality based on the codes stored in the memory; and

a remote control that controls the electronically operable functions of the device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the remote control comprises a transceiver.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a range of the remote control is extendible.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of connectors and the memory are included in a base unit and the module is configured to detachably couple to the base unit.

18. A device for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of connectors that connect the device to vehicle components, wherein the vehicle components are operated pursuant to electronically operable functions;

a memory that stores codes for defining the electronically operable functions; and

a module that adapts the device to connect to a controller that is disposed inside a vehicle through a communications interface,

wherein the controller is part of a remote start system installed in the vehicle, and the remote start system is provided with functionality based on the codes stored in the memory.