Device for remote control using wave energy

• US 5,397,923 A
• Filed: 06/25/1993
• Issued: 03/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christensen, Mark
• Original Assignee: Christensen, Mark
• Inventors: Christensen, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krishnan, Aditya
• Application Number:
  US08/082,597
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/933, 340/942, 340/943, 340/483, 340/988, 340/480, 180/167-168, 341/176, 455/99, 250/205, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/139, 307/154
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 Waterproofing of transmission device

Abstract

A device for providing remote control current signals to wave energy transmitters in a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a power source, a manually operated electrical switch, and at least one wave energy transmitter. The device comprises an electrical network including a first timing R--C circuit, a second timing R--C circuit, a counter, and a transmission actuator that has a plurality of transmission output lines. The first timing R--C circuit provides a first timing period triggered by a first actuation of the electrical switch in the vehicle. The counter counts the number of times the electrical switch is actuated during the timing period. The transmission actuator provides an output current to one of the output lines for a duration controlled by the second timing R--C circuit. Selection of the output line for receiving the output current is determined by the accumulated count during the first timing period. Each wave energy transmitter is arranged so that receiving the output current on the output line closes a switch in the transmitter, which consequently produces the desired burst of wave energy. A voltage regulator may be included for modifying the vehicle battery voltage so as to be compatible with each wave energy transmitter. A signal conditioner may be included for reducing alternating current components in the direct current voltage input to the counter so that false triggering of the counter is prevented.

Claims

1. A device for providing remote control signals from a vehicle, the vehicle having a manually operated electrical switch and at least one wave energy transmitter supported by said vehicle, the device comprising:

an electrical network including timing means, counting means, and transmission actuation means having a plurality of transmission output lines;

the timing means for providing a first timing period triggered by a first actuation of the manual electrical switch in the vehicle, the counting means for counting the number of times the manual electrical switch is actuated during the timing period, the transmission actuation means for selecting one of the plurality of output lines determined by the number of times the manual electrical switch is actuated during the first timing period and for providing an output signal to one of the output lines for a duration controlled by a second timing period

whereby the output signal is delivered to one of the at least one wave energy transmitters to provide a wave energy remote control signal from the vehicle.

2. The device for providing remote control current signals from a vehicle of claim 1 further including voltage regulating means, connected to said electrical network for reducing a direct current input voltage to a selected level of output voltage to assure voltage compatibility.

3. The device for providing remote control current signals from a vehicle as recited in claim 1 and further comprising signal conditioning means having means for reducing alternating current components in the direct current voltage to reduce the possibility of false triggering.

7. The device for providing remote control current signals from a vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein said electrical network also includes said at least one wave energy transmitter.

4. A device for providing remote control signals from a vehicle with a manually operated electrical switch, and at least one wave energy transmitter, the device comprising:

an electrical network including interconnected timing means, counting means, and transmission actuation means having a plurality of transmission output lines, each said one of the lines being electrically compatible with one of the at least one wave energy transmitters;

the timing means for producing a first timing period triggered by a first actuation of the manually operated electrical switch in the vehicle, the counting means for counting the number of times the electrical switch is actuated during the timing period, the transmission actuation means for providing an output current to one of the output lines for a duration controlled by a second timing period, and for selecting of the one of the output lines for receiving the output current based upon an accumulated manually operated electrical switch closure count occurring during the first timing period;

whereby the output current is delivered to one of the at least one wave energy transmitters to provide a wave energy burst.

6. The device for providing remote control current signals from a vehicle as recited in claim 4 and further comprising signal conditioning means having means for reducing alternating current components in the direct current voltage to reduce the possibility of false triggering.

5. The device for providing remote control current signals from a vehicle as recited in claim 5 and further including voltage regulating means, connected to said electrical network for reducing a direct current input voltage to a selected level of output voltage.