SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN IN-VEHICLE TRANSMITTER HAVING MULTI-COLORED LED

• US 20140009263A1
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: WITKOWSKI, Todd R., SHEARER, Carl, JAROCHA, William M., BOS, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• 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 is 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 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 trainable transmitter circuit and the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the multi-colored light emitting diode display to indicate a received signal strength during a training mode.

2. The wireless control system of claim 1, 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.

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 trainable transmitter circuit includes the stored data code.

5. The wireless control system of claim 1, 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.

6. The wireless control system of claim 5, 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.

7. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein at least two different colors are used to indicate determined signal strengths that are not strong enough for use in the training mode.

8. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit causes the multi-colored light emitting diode display to indicate when the strength of the wireless control signal received from an original transmitter is sufficient for the control circuit to record a frequency and control data associated with the wireless control signal to memory.

9. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the multi-colored light emitting diode display only provides feedback indicative of received signal strength during the training mode.

10. 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 as a part of a training mode of the wireless control system;

in the training mode, determining the signal strength of the received wireless control signal; and

in the training mode, modifying the color of a multi-colored light emitting diode based on the determined signal strength of the received wireless control signal;

wherein at least two different colors are used to indicate determined signal strengths that are not strong enough for use in the training mode, wherein a first color indicates a first signal strength level and a second color indicates a second signal strength level.

11. The method of claim 10, 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.

12. The method of claim 10, further including displaying a color at the initiation of the training mode indicative of a state of the wireless control system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the signal strength of the received wireless control signal comprises determining if the strength of the wireless control is sufficient for the control circuit to record a frequency and control data associated with the wireless control signal to memory.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying the color of a multi-colored light emitting diode based on the determined signal strength only occurs during the training mode.