Remote control switch apparatus for automobiles

• US 4,405,924 A
• Filed: 03/18/1981
• Issued: 09/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken Incorporated 14
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Shinoda, Yoshio, Kuno, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US06/245,208
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 340/694-696, 340/32, 340/34, 340/52 R, 340/62, 340/147 R, 340/147 F, 340/148, 340/539, 340/384 E, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.7, 340/825.76 , 340/825.39, 307/10 R, 307/9, 116/56, 116/57, 116/37, 116/DIG. 29, 116/DIG. 30, 116/DIG. 31, 180/170, 180/79, 180/79.1, 180/137, 181/114, 358/194.1, 367/137, 455/95, 455/99, 455/603
• US Class Current: 340/12.54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/02 including electrically actuated servomechanism including an electric control system or a servomechanism in which the vehicle velocity affecting element is actuated electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/54 for indicating speed outside of the vehicle
• 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

Abstract

The remote control switch apparatus has an instruction switch provided on a steering wheel to project toward the inside of a passenger compartment away from an instrument panel of the car so as to indicate a driving condition. A transmitter is installed at the steering wheel to generate a radio wave signal or radiation signal in response to the instruction switch and a receiver, provided on the instrument panel, receives the radiation signal and generates a control signal.

Claims

1. A remote control switch apparatus for changing the driving condition of a car including a steering wheel said steering wheel including a horn switch for selectively completing a current path to actuate a horn, said steering wheel being rotatably mounted relative to both a nonmovable outer cover portion thereof and an instrument panel, said apparatus comprising:

at least one instruction switch for mounting on said steering wheel to project toward the inside of the passenger compartment of a car away from said instrument panel of the car so as to specify a driving condition;

an ultrasonic wave transmitter for mounting on said steering wheel and for generating an ultrasonic signal associated with said instruction switch;

power supply means, comprising a diode and a capacitor connected across said horn switch, for providing power to said transmitter; and

an ultrasonic wave receiver for mounting on one of said instrument panel and said nonmovable outer cover portion of said steering wheel to oppose said transmitter and for generating a control signal corresponding to said ultrasonic signal when said transmitter and receiver are within a predetermined degree of alignment.

2. A remote control switch apparatus for changing the driving condition of a car including a steering wheel said steering wheel including a horn switch for selectively completing a current path to actuate a horn, said steering wheel being rotatably mounted relative to both a nonmovable outer cover portion thereof and an instrument panel, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of instruction switches for mounting on said steering wheel to project toward the inside of a passenger compartment away from said instrument panel of the car so as to specify a driving condition;

an ultrasonic wave transmitter for mounting on said steering wheel and which includes a first reference frequency oscillation circuit, a circuit for generating a single-line multiplex communication signal in response to both said oscillation circuit and to the operation of any one of said switches and means for converting said communication signal to an ultrasonic signal;

power supply means, comprising a diode and a capacitor connected across said horn switch, for providing power to said transmitter; and

an ultrasonic receiver for mounting on said instrument panel and which includes receiving means for receiving said ultrasonic signal and producing an output signal when said transmitter and receiver are within a predetermined degree of alignment, means for shaping the waveform of said output signal, second and third reference frequency signal generating means, signal converting means having a plurality of control output terminals corresponding to the instruction switches and responsive to said waveform-shaped output and the second reference frequency signal to generate a control output to the corresponding control output terminal, and means for resetting, in response to said third reference frequency signal and the control output, said signal converting means after a predetermined time.

3. An apparatus for remotely controlling the operation of an electric equipment mounted on an automotive vehicle having a storage battery, a horn, an instrument panel and a steering wheel rotatably mounted relative to said instrument panel on which a horn switch having a horn relay coil is provided to enable said horn to be activated by said storage battery upon activation thereof, said apparatus comprising:

a power supply circuit, provided on said steering wheel comprising a series connected diode and capacitor electrically connected across said horn switch, such that said capacitor is charged by said storage battery during the deactivation of said horn switch through said relay coil;

second switch means provided on said steering wheel;

transmitter means provided on said steering wheel and electrically connected to said power supply circuit and said second switch means for transmitting an ultrasonic wave signal in response to the activation of said second switch means; and

receiver means provided on said instrument panel, electrically disconnected from said transmitter means and electrically connected to said electric equipment for receiving said ultrasonic wave signal and controlling the operation of said electric equipment in response to the received ultrasonic wave signal when said transmitter and receiver are within a predetermined degree of alignment.