Electronically programmable remote control for vehicle security system

• US 5,146,215 A
• Filed: 11/30/1988
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DEI Headquarters Inc (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Clifford Electronics, Inc. (VOXX International Corporation)
• Inventors: Drori, Ze'ev
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US07/277,959
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/528, 340/541, 340/543, 340/542, 70/278, 361/172, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/5.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2025/1013 Alarm systems characterised by the type of warning signal, e.g. visual, audible
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2225/00 Means indicating the functioning state of the alarm system, e.g. indicating arming, using leds
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00849 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 Monitoring of the detection circuits

Abstract

An electronically programmable remote control for an vehicle security system. The system remote control comprises one or more hand-held remote transmitters and a receiver unit located in the vehicle. The receiver is operable in conjunction with a control unit which contains a microprocessor capable of performing control functions and encoding functions. The remote control enables the user to electronically program into or delete from the receiver a digital code from any of a plurality of transmitters. It is not necessary for the user or anyone else to know the specific encoded signal which is transmitted from any of the transmitters to the receiver. The receiver is operable with a plurality of transmitters, all of which operate on the same frequency.

Claims

1. An electronically programmable remote control vehicle security system, comprising:

a precoded portable hand-held transmitter comprising means for generating and transmitting a predetermined fixed, digitally encoded, radio frequency, receiver-responsive signal representative of a predetermined fixed transmitter code, and actuating means for actuating said generating and transmitting means so that said signal is automatically generated and transmitted upon actuation;

vehicle antitheft means;

a system control unit disposed within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) receiving means operable during a system program mode and a system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing data representative of signature code signals;

(iii) programming means for recording in said digital memory received signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, said means activated only during said system program mode for automatically storing in said memory received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter code as a signature control signal for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means;

further characterized in that said program mode is automatically terminated after a predetermined time delay from receipt of the last transmitted encoded signal during said program mode;

(iv) operating means activated during said operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature control signal stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal, and means for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means in response to received signals corresponding to said signature code signal stored in said memory;

further characterized in that said system control unit comprises a user-accessible switch disposed in said vehicle, and said access control unit is responsive to the position of said switch for entering said program mode; and

wherein said transmitter and said receiving means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said encoded signals from said transmitter to said access control unit to be stored in said memory as said code signals, said link further employed during said operating receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signals from said transmitter to said control unit.

2. An electronically programmable remote control vehicle security system, comprising:

a precoded portable hand-held transmitter comprising means for generating and transmitting a predetermined fixed, digitally encoded, radio frequency, receiver-responsive signal representative of a predetermined fixed transmitter code, and actuating means for actuating said generating and transmitting means so that said signal is automatically generated and transmitted upon actuation;

wherein said transmitter is suitably encoded with said predetermined transmitter code by the manufacturer thereof so that the system user is not required to encode said transmitter;

vehicle antitheft means;

a system control unit disposed within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) receiving means operable during a system program mode and a system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing data representative of signature code signals;

(iii) programming means for recording in said digital memory received signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, said means activated only during said system program mode for automatically storing in said memory received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter code as a signature control signal for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means;

(iv) operating means activated during said operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature control signal stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal, and means for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means in response to received signals corresponding to said signature code signal stored in said memory; and

wherein said transmitter and said receiving means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said encoded signals from said transmitter to said access control unit to be stored in said memory as said code signals, said link further employed during said operating receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signals from said transmitter to said control unit.

3. An electronically programmable remote control vehicle security system, in which a receiver and a control unit therefor are operable upon receipt of a proper transmitted encoded signal from any of a plurality of transmitters to arm or disarm said vehicle security system, said system comprising:

at least one first transmitter capable of transmitting a first receiver responsive, radio frequency, digitally encoded signal comprising an N-bit digital code word for arming and disarming said system, said transmitter comprising actuating means for actuating said transmitting of said signal so that said first signal is automatically transmitted upon actuation;

at least one second transmitter capable of generating and transmitting a second receiver responsive, radio frequency, digitally encoded signal comprising an M-bit digital code word for arming and disarming said system, said second transmitter comprising actuating means for actuating said transmitting of said second signal so that said second signal is automatically transmitted upon actuation;

wherein N and M are each integer values and N need not equal M;

vehicle antitheft means;

a receiver located in said vehicle and responsive to the transmitted radio frequency encoded signals during a system programming mode and a system operating-receiving mode for generating electrical signals corresponding to each of the respectively encoded signals;

said receiver and said first and second transmitters comprising at least first and second one-way radio frequency signal transmission links for communicating signals only from said first or second transmitters to said receiver during said system programming and system operating-receiving modes; and

a control unit operatively associated with the receiver, said control unit comprising;

(i) means for decoding said electrical signals to generate respective decoded digital signals representative of said N-bit code word and said M-bit code word;

(ii) a digital memory for storing said N and M-bit code words;

(iii) means operable in said system program mode for automatically recording in said digital memory said respective decoded digital signals received and decoded during said program mode as first and second signature code signals representative of said N-bit code word and said M-bit code word;

(iv) means activated during an operating-receiving mode for comparing received and decoded signals to said first and second signature code signals which have been previously recorded during said program mode to determine if said decoded digital signals correspond to either of the recorded signature code signals and thereby represent valid signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means;

further

characterized in that the system is user programmable such that the user of any transmitter may initially record the encoded signal from that transmitter as a signature code signal in the control unit by simple actuation of the transmitter when the system is in said program mode for recording signature control signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, thereafter only requiring the transmission of the encoded signal from the transmitter for recording as a valid signature code signal, and whereby said signature control signal is automatically recorded in said digital memory;

further

characterized in that said system is provided with a switch disposed in said vehicle to put the receiver in the program mode for recording said arming/disarming signature control words; and

further characterized in that said system program mode is automatically terminated after a pre-established time delay from receipt of the last transmitted encoded signal during said program mode.

4. An electronically programmable remote control vehicle security system, in which a receiver and a control unit therefore are operable upon receipt of a proper transmitted encoded signal from any of a plurality of transmitters to arm or disarm said vehicle security system, said system comprising:

at least one first transmitter capable of transmitting a first receiver responsive, radio frequency, digitally encoded signal comprising an N-bit digital code word for arming and disarming said system, said transmitter comprising actuating means for actuating said transmitting of said signal so that said first signal is automatically transmitted upon actuation;

at least one second transmitter capable of generating and transmitting a second receiver responsive, radio frequency, digitally encoded signal comprising an M-bit digital code word for arming and disarming said system, said second transmitter comprising actuating means for actuating said transmitting of said second signals so that said first signal is automatically transmitted upon actuation;

wherein N and M are each integer values and N need not equal M;

vehicle antitheft means;

a receiver located in said vehicle and responsive to the transmitted radio frequency encoded signals during a system programming mode and a system operating-receiving mode for generating electrical signals corresponding to each of the respectively encoded signals;

said receiver and said first and second transmitters comprising at least first and second one-way radio frequency signal transmission links for communicating signals only from said first or second transmitters to said receiver during said system programming and system operating-receiving modes; and

a control unit operatively associated with the receiver, said control unit comprising;

(i) means for decoding said electrical signals to generate respective decoded digital signals representative of said N-bit code word and said M-bit code word;

(ii) a digital memory for storing said N and M-bit code words;

(iii) means operable in said system program mode for automatically recording in said digital memory said respective decoded digital signals received and decoded during said program mode as first and second signature code signals representative of said N-bit code word and said M-bit code word;

(iv) means activated during an operating-receiving mode for comparing received and decoded signals to said first and second signature code signals which have been previously recorded during said program mode to determine if said decoded digital signals correspond to either of the recorded signature code signals and thereby represent valid signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means; and

wherein said first and second transmitters are respectively suitably encoded with said N-bit and said M-bit digital codes by the respective manufacturer thereof so that the system user is not required to encode said respective transmitters.

5. A vehicle security system in which a control unit is responsive to receipt of a proper transmitted encoded radio frequency signal from a transmitter to arm or disarm said system, comprising:

vehicle antitheft means, said means comprising a vehicle ignition disabling means;

a portable hand-held transmitter comprising means for generating and transmitting a predetermined fixed digitally encoded, radio frequency, receiver-responsive signal representative of a predetermined transmitter code; and

a control unit located within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) radio frequency signal receiving means operable during said program mode and during said system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing signature code signals;

(iii) programming means for recording in said digital memory received signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, said means activated only during a system program mode for automatically storing in said memory said electrical signals representative of said radio frequency, receiver-responsive received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter code as a signature code signal for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means; and

(iv) operating means activated during an operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature code signal stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal and for arming or disarming said antitheft means if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal, wherein said transmitter and said receiver means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said signal representative of said transmitter code to said access control unit to be stored in said memory means as signature code signals, said link further employed during said operating-receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signal from said transmitter to said access control unit;

wherein said control unit is hidden from view within said vehicle at a relatively secure location not visible either from outside the vehicle or from passenger locations within the passenger compartment of said vehicle, and said system further comprises a switch accessible only within said vehicle for selective actuation by the system operator, said control unit being responsive to actuation of said switch for entering the program mode; and

further characterized in that said program mode is automatically terminated after a predetermined time delay from receipt of the last transmitted encoded signal.

6. A vehicle security system in which a control unit is responsive to receipt of a proper transmitted encoded radio frequency signal from a transmitter to arm or disarm said system, comprising:

vehicle antitheft means, said means comprising a vehicle ignition disabling means;

a portable hand-held transmitter comprising means for generating and transmitting a predetermined fixed digitally encoded, radio frequency, receiver-responsive signal representative of a predetermined transmitter code; and

wherein said predetermined transmitter code comprises a non-user-programmable N-bit digital code word;

a control unit located within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) radio frequency signal receiving means operable during said program mode and during said system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing signature code signals;

(iii) programming means for recording in said digital memory received signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, said means activated only during a system program mode for automatically storing in said memory said electrical signals representative of said radio frequency, receiver-responsive received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter code as a signature code signal for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means; and

(iv) operating means activated during an operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature code signal stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal and for arming or disarming said antitheft means if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal, wherein said transmitter and said receiver means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said signal representative of said transmitter code to said access control unit to be stored in said memory means as signature code signals, said link further employed during said operating-receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signal from said transmitter to said access control unit.

7. A vehicle security system in which a control unit is responsive to receipt of a proper transmitted encoded radio frequency signal from a transmitter to arm or disarm said system, comprising:

vehicle antitheft means, said means comprising a vehicle ignition disabling means;

a portable hand-held transmitter comprising means for generating and transmitting a predetermined fixed digitally encoded, radio frequency, receiver-responsive signal representative of a predetermined transmitter code;

a control unit located within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) radio frequency signal receiving means operable during said program mode and during said system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing signature code signals;

(iii) programming means for recording in said digital memory received signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, said means activated only during a system program mode for automatically storing in said memory said electrical signals representative of said radio frequency, receiver-responsive received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter code as a signature code signal for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means; and

(iv) operating means activated during an operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature code signal stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal and for arming or disarming said antitheft means if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal, wherein said transmitter and said receiver means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said signal representative of said transmitter code to said access control unit to be stored in said memory means as signature code signals, said link further employed during said operating-receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signal from said transmitter to said access control unit;

further characterized in that said access control unit is operable in the program mode to automatically record a plurality of different transmitter codes from a plurality of different transmitters codes and wherein said control unit is responsive to received signals corresponding to any one of said stored transmitter codes for arming or disarming the vehicle antitheft means; and

wherein said transmitter is suitably encoded with said transmitter code by the manufacturer thereof so that the system user is not required to encode said transmitter.

8. A vehicle security system in which a control unit is responsive to receipt of a proper transmitted encoded radio frequency signal from a transmitter to arm or disarm said system, comprising:

vehicle antitheft means, said means comprising a vehicle ignition disabling means;

a portable hand-held transmitter comprising means for generating and transmitting a predetermined fixed digitally encoded, radio frequency, receiver-responsive signal representative of a predetermined transmitter code;

a control unit located within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) radio frequency signal receiving means operable during said program mode and during said system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing signature code signals;

(iii) programming means for recording in said digital memory received signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, said means activated only during a system program mode for automatically storing in said memory said electrical signals representative of said radio frequency, receiver-responsive received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter code as a signature code signal for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means; and

(iv) operating means activated during in operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature code signal stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal and for arming or disarming said antitheft means if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal, wherein said transmitter and said receiver means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said signal representative of said transmitter code to said access control unit to be stored in said memory means as signature code signals, said link further employed during said operating-receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signal from said transmitter to said access control unit; and

wherein said control unit is operable in the program mode to record a plurality of different transmitter encoded signals of different code bit lengths as valid signature code words, and operable in the operating-receive mode to decode and compare said decoded signals of different bit lengths to each of said recorded signature code signals.

9. A vehicle security system in which a control unit is responsive to receipt of a proper transmitted encoded radio frequency signal from a transmitter to arm or disarm said system, comprising:

vehicle antitheft means, said means comprising a vehicle ignition disabling means;

a portable hand-held transmitter comprising means for generating and transmitting a predetermined fixed digitally encoded, radio frequency, receiver-responsive signal representative of a predetermined transmitter code;

a control unit located within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) radio frequency signal receiving means operable during said program mode and during said system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing signature code signals;

(iii) programming means for recording in said digital memory received signals for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, said means activated only during a system program mode for automatically storing in said memory said electrical signals representative of said radio frequency, receiver-responsive received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter code as a signature code signal for arming or disarming said vehicle antitheft means, and

(iv) operating means activated during an operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature code signal stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signals and for arming or disarming said antitheft means if said electrical signals correspond it said recorded signature code signal, wherein said transmitter and said receiver means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said signal representative of said transmitter code to said access control unit to be stored in said memory means as signature code signals, said link further employed during said operating-receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signal from said transmitter to said access control unit; and

wherein said transmitter comprises means for selectively generating and transmitting either a first or a second predetermined digitally encoded, radio frequency signal representative of first or second predetermined transmitter codes, said control unit is operable in the program mode to record respective signals representative of said first or second transmitter codes, and wherein said operating means comprises means for arming or disarming said antitheft means in response to receipt of signals corresponding to said first code, and means for performing a second predetermined function in response to signals corresponding to said second transmitter code.

10. An electronically programmable remote control vehicle security system, comprising:

a multi-channel remote control transmitter comprising means for generating a plurality of predetermined digitally encoded, radio frequency, signals representative of a plurality of predetermined transmitter channel signature codes, and user-activated means for selecting and transmitting respective ones of said signals;

vehicle antitheft means;

a system control unit disposed within said vehicle, comprising;

(i) receiving means operable during a system program mode and a system operating-receiving mode for receiving said transmitted encoded signal and generating an electrical signal representative of the encoded signal;

(ii) a digital memory for storing data representative of signature code signals, said memory comprising a plurality of assigned memory locations for storing signature code signals for each of said channels;

(iii) programming means activated only during said system program mode for selecting a particular channel and storing in an assigned memory location in said memory received signals representative of said predetermined transmitter channel code as a signature channel control signal;

(iv) operating means activated during said operating-receiving mode for comparing received electrical signals with said signature control signals stored in said memory means to determine if said electrical signals correspond to said recorded signature code signal, means for determining the channel having a corresponding signature channel control signal stored therein, and responsive action means for the respective identified channel activated upon receipt of a matching channel signature code;

wherein said transmitter and said receiving means cooperate to form a one-way radio frequency signal transmission link for communicating signals only from said transmitter to said receiving means, said transmission link being employed by said system during said programming mode for transmitting said encoded signals from said transmitter to said access control unit to be stored in said memory as said code signals, said link further employed during said operating receiving mode for transmitting said encoded signals from said transmitter to said control unit; and

wherein said transmitter is suitably encoded with said predetermined transmitter code by the manufacturer thereof so that the system user is not required to encode said transmitter.