Vehicle systems control with vehicle options programming

• US 5,278,547 A
• Filed: 09/06/1991
• Issued: 01/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zeinstra, Mark L., Suman, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US07/756,168
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/426, 340/428, 340/457.2, 340/528, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 180/287, 70/256, 70/257
• US Class Current: 340/5.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00222 by more than one push button
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle control system includes a microcontroller based switch programmable module which allows a variety of different vehicle options to be selectively actuated by different vehicle users. In one embodiment a remote transmitter provides a unique user code and the control system includes the capability of programming the transmitter code to allow use of multiple transmitters with different codes for different users.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system for a vehicle including a vehicle electrical system having vehicle options and option control signal sources generating first control signals for controlling associated vehicle options, the control system comprising:

a programmable control circuit module including a plurality of switch means for programming said module to selectively control a plurality of vehicle electrical options, each of said switch means including a switch and having at least two output states, one of said output states for enabling the operation of a respective vehicle option associated with each of said switch means, and another of said output states for disabling the operation of the respective vehicle option associated with each of said switch means;

interface circuit means for coupling to the option control signal sources, the options, and said control circuit module when the control circuit module is mounted on the vehicle, said interface circuit means inputting the first control signals from the option control signal source and outputting second control signals to those options enabled by said switch means for selectively controlling the operability of each of said enabled options; and

means for mounting said circuit module to a vehicle and for coupling said interface circuit means to said module whereby options enabled by said programmable control circuit module are controlled responsive to said option control signals when said module is mounted to the vehicle.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said programmable control circuit module includes a microcontroller programmed to respond to signals from said switch means and option control signals to selectively control the vehicle electrical options in response to the occurrence of a sequence of program tests.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said programmable control module further includes a receiver for receiving control commands from a remote transmitter.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said microcontroller includes means for receiving and storing a plurality of unique user identification codes from remote transmitters, respective vehicle option operation information set using said switch means and stored such that it is associated with a respective one of said codes in said storing means, and said control circuit module responsive to the receipt of one of said stored codes to select respective vehicle option operation as stored for said one of said stored codes.

5. The system as defined in claim 4 wherein said interface circuit means includes an electrical connector mounted to said circuit module for allowing removal of the module from said vehicle for programming by operation of said plurality of switches and reconnection of the module to the options and option signal sources for controlling operation of enabled options.

6. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said programmable control circuit module includes circuit means which are user activated for training to, and storing, at least one user identification code.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 and further including a remote transmitter for transmitter a user identification code and at least one vehicle command and wherein said programmable control circuit module includes a receiver coupled to said circuit means for receiving said code.

8. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein said circuit means for storing said at least one user identification code includes said microcontroller which is programmed to store a transmitted user code upon actuation by the user of at least one switch means mounted on said programmable control circuit module.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein said programmable control circuit module further includes means for coupling a signal indicating that the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is either on or off to said microcontroller, and wherein said microcontroller stores a transmitted code only when said at least one switch is actuated and said ignition indicating signal indicates that the vehicle ignition is one.

10. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said programmable control circuit module is connected to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system to receive an input actuation signal from said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, said programmable control module is responsive to said input actuation signal for outputting a control signal to said interface circuit means for controlling the operation of a respective option associated with said input actuation signal only when a respective switch means for controlling said respective option has said one output state enabling said respective option.

11. A vehicle control system for a vehicle including vehicle options and option control signal sources for generating option control signals associated with the vehicle options, the control system comprising:

a microcontroller adapted to selectively control the vehicle accessories responsive to the option control signals;

a plurality of input switch means coupled to said microcontroller for outputting at least two output state, each of said switch means including a switch, said microcontroller responsive to one of said states for enabling the operation of a respective vehicle option associated with each of the switch means, and said microcontroller responsive to another one of said states for disabling the operation of the respective vehicle option associated with each of said switch means, said outputs of each of said switch means remaining at said one or said another output state until the respective switch of each said switch means is manipulated to change the respective output state of each of said switch means;

means for coupling said microcontroller to the vehicle options and the option control signal sources; and

a housing, said microcontroller, said switch, and said coupling means positioned in said housing whereby said microcontroller is programmed by placing each of said switches associated with each of said switch means in a desired controlling position, said housing is mounted on said vehicle, and said microcontroller is coupled to the option control signal sources and the options, such that said microcontroller controls operation of the enabled vehicle options responsive to the option control signals when said microcontroller is coupled to the vehicle options and the option control signal sources.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said microcontroller is programmed to respond to signals from said switch means and input signals from said vehicle'"'"'s electrical system to selectively control the vehicle electrical options in response to the occurrence of a sequence of program tests.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein one of said switch means controls the vehicle'"'"'s windows, whereby at least one of said windows is lowered or raised completely upon actuation of a window control switch.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein one of said switch means controls the locking of the vehicle doors to lock the doors only after all doors have been closed.

15. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein one of said switch means controls the locking of the vehicle doors such that they lock when the vehicle transmission is in the drive position and unlock when the vehicle transmission is in the park position.

16. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein one of said switch means controls the locking of the vehicle doors to lock the doors only after all doors have been closed.

17. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein one of said switch means controls said vehicle'"'"'s windows such that said microcontroller is responsive to actuation of a vehicle electric window switch to raise or lower a window controlled by said electric window switch completely whereby an operator need not hold said electric window switch for the entire time it takes the window to be raised or lowered completely.

18. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said microcontroller includes means for receiving and storing a plurality of unique user identification codes from a keyboard and responds to the receipt of a stored code to provide vehicle option operation selected by the user of said unique code.

19. The system as defined in claim 18 and further including a remote transmitter for transmitting a user identification code and at least one vehicle command and wherein said housing includes a receiver coupled to said microcontroller for receiving said code.

20. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein said means for storing said user identification codes stores a transmitter user identification code upon actuation by the user of at least one switch means mounted on said housing.

21. The system as defined in claim 20 wherein said microcontroller includes means for receiving a signal indicating that the vehicle ignition is on and stores a transmitted code only when said at least one switch is actuated and the vehicle ignition is on.

22. A vehicle control system for a vehicle including vehicle options and option control signal sources, the vehicle control system comprising:

a programmable control circuit module including a selectively actuated storage circuit for storage user unique codes, and a plurality of switch means for controlling a plurality of vehicle electrical options, each of said switching means including a switch and having at least two operational output states, one of said states for enabling the operation of a vehicle option associated with each of the switch means, and another of said states for disabling operation of the vehicle option associated with each of said switch means, said programmable control circuit module including means for receiving and storing a plurality of unique user identification codes from remote transmitters and respective vehicle option operation information set using each of said switch means such that respective option operation information set using said switch means is associated with each of said codes in said storing means, and said control circuit module is responsive to receipt of one of said stored codes to select respective vehicle option operation as stored for said one of said stored codes; and

interface circuit means for coupling said circuit module to the vehicle options and the option control signal sources to input option control signals to said module and selectively output control signals to the options, whereby said interface circuit means is connected to the option control signal sources and the options, and said module is programmed according to said respective vehicle option operation associated with said one of said stored codes such that said circuit module outputs control signals to those options enabled by said receipt of said one of said stored codes responsive to the option control signals and does not output control signals to those options which are not enabled by said receipt of said one of said stored codes.

23. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said storage circuit is actuated to learn said unique codes upon actuation of at least one of said switches of one of said switch means and upon activation of the vehicle'"'"'s ignition switch.

24. The system as defined in claim 23 wherein said programmable control circuit module includes a microcontroller programmed to respond to input signals from the vehicle electrical system to operate vehicle electrical options associated with each of said switch means is in said enabling state.

25. The system as defined in claim 24 wherein said entering means comprises a keyboard.

26. The system as defined in claim 25 wherein said system further includes a driver select switch mounted to the vehicle and coupled to said circuit module whereby different drivers are identified to allow selection of different operational control of the vehicle options by different drivers.

27. The system as defined in claim 24 wherein said entering means comprises a receiver coupled to said circuit module and at least one remote transmitter for transmitting said unique code.

28. The system as defined in claim 27 wherein said remote transmitter comprises a housing in the shape of a key fob with at least one recessed push-button switch for the actuation of said transmitter.