SMARTPHONE ACTIVATED VEHICLE ENTRY DEVICE

• US 20140293753A1
• Filed: 04/02/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Pearson
• Original Assignee: David Pearson
• Inventors: Pearson, David
• Application Number:
  US14/243,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20140293753A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/197
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/02 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic waves

Abstract

A smartphone or other portable electronic device is operative to unlock and lock a vehicle without the use of the cellular or Wi-Fi network or any additional hardware added to the portable unit. The system, which is configured for use with a vehicle having an existing receiver to receive remote keyless entry (RKE) codes, includes a vehicle-mounted unit with a microphone to receive an acoustic signal from a smartphone or other portable electronic device programmed to generate a modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command. Circuitry in the vehicle-mounted unit demodulates and decodes the vehicle entry command, and a transmitter in the vehicle-mounted unit transmits the demodulated and decoded command to the existing RKE receiver in the vehicle to execute the command, which may be a door LOCK or UNLOCK command. A passive RKE embodiment is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A vehicle entry system for a vehicle with an existing receiver to receive remote keyless entry (RKE) codes, the system comprising:

a vehicle-mounted unit including a microphone configured to receive an acoustic signal from a smartphone or other portable electronic device programmed to generate a modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command;

circuitry in the vehicle-mounted unit for demodulating and decoding the vehicle entry command; and

a transmitter in the vehicle-mounted unit for transmitting the demodulated and decoded command to the existing RKE receiver in the vehicle to execute the command.

2. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein the command is a door LOCK or UNLOCK command.

3. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle-mounted unit is operative to generate an encoded acoustic signal; and

the smartphone or other portable electronic device includes a microphone and is programmed to decode the acoustic signal from the vehicle-mounted unit and automatically generate the modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command in response thereto as part of a passive RKE system.

4. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, further including a smartphone or other portable electronic device including an application or “

app”

enabling the smartphone or other portable electronic device to generate a modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command for a particular vehicle.

5. The vehicle entry system of claim 3, further including a smartphone or other portable electronic device including an application or “

app”

enabling the smartphone or other portable electronic device to;

(a) decode the acoustic signal from the vehicle-mounted unit and automatically generate the modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command for that vehicle in response thereto as part of a passive RKE system, and

(b) generate a modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command for that vehicle.

6. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein the modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command is encrypted and the circuitry in the vehicle-mounted unit is further operative to decrypt the vehicle entry command.

7. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein the modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command further includes a vehicle device serial number.

8. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein the modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command further includes a rolling code.

9. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein the modulated, encoded acoustic vehicle entry command further includes error-checking data.

10. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-mounted unit is battery operated.

11. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein acoustic signal is sub-sonic.

12. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein acoustic signal is audible.

13. The vehicle entry system of claim 1, wherein acoustic signal is ultra-sonic.