Remote vehicle programming system

• US 5,479,157 A
• Filed: 02/17/1995
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• 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:
  US08/390,241
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.44, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/426, 340/543, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.5, 180/287, 379/56, 379/57, 455/38.4
• US Class Current: 340/5.28
• 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: 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 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed

Abstract

Vehicles embodying the present invention include a receiver, demodulator and control circuit which interfaces with various vehicle options to allow receipt of a vehicle address and control signal which is a personalization code to control the operation of one or more vehicle accessories. A display is provided for the display of information to the vehicle operator confirming the state of operation of an option change or addition when has been requested by the vehicle operator. In one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle includes a display for displaying a telephone number from a land-based paging system to the vehicle operator. In another embodiment of the present invention, the receiver demodulator and display unit receives alpha-numeric information when allows messages and/or telephone numbers to be displayed to the vehicle operator. In yet a further embodiment of the invention, one vehicle personalization control system provides anti-theft protection such that upon receipt of a predetermined code, once the vehicle ignition has been turned off, the vehicle cannot be restarted.

Claims

1. A method of reprogramming accessories in a plurality of vehicles from a land based transmission facility comprising the steps of:

transmitting a programming signal from the transmission facility, said programming signal including address information and control information for reprogramming the operation of a vehicle accessory;

receiving the programming signal in a vehicle receiver in each vehicle;

determining in each vehicle if the address of the programming signal matches the address associated with the vehicle; and

reprogramming controlled electrical accessories through the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system according to the control information in the programming signal for the vehicle in which the address information and vehicle'"'"'s address match, such that the vehicle'"'"'s controlled electrical accessories are selectively reprogrammed according to control information transmitted from said transmission facility, wherein reprogramming the vehicle'"'"'s controlled accessories changes the manner in which the vehicle accessories operate upon reception of vehicle operator initiated operation signals.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiver receives paging signals and programming signals and said step of receiving includes comparing received address information to a stored address to determine if the address information is the address of the vehicle.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein:

said step of receiving includes comparing the received address information to two stored addresses; and

said step of reprogramming vehicle accessory operation reprograms accessory operation if the received address is the same as a first stored address and said method further including a step of displaying a paging message if the received address is the same as a second stored address.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein said step of transmitting includes transmitting said programming signal using a paging signal source.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said programming signal includes address information and control information for reprogramming the operation of a side window, and wherein the step of reprogramming includes changing the manner in which the side window operates in response to an operation signal that is generated when a person operates a window control switch.

6. A vehicle option programming system for the remote reprogramming of accessories in a vehicle comprising:

an electrically operated vehicle accessory;

a vehicle accessory controller connected to said vehicle accessory for controlling the operation of said vehicle accessory upon reception of a vehicle operator initiated operation signal;

a receiver to be located in a vehicle for receiving paging signals from a land based paging transmitter, wherein the paging signals include an address uniquely identifying the vehicle and a control signal for reprogramming the operation of said vehicle accessory;

a multiplex bus communicatively coupled to said vehicle accessory controller;

a multiplex circuit communicatively coupled to said bus; and

a control circuit communicatively coupled to said receiver and to said multiplex circuit and responsive to the detection of an address identifying the vehicle and said control signal, for selectively reprogramming the operation of said vehicle accessory in response to said control signal by changing the manner in which said vehicle accessory controller controls the operation of said vehicle accessory upon reception of the vehicle operator initiated operation signal.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 and further including a display communicatively coupled to said control circuit for displaying information to the vehicle operator indicating that a vehicle accessory has been reprogrammed.

8. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein said control circuit includes a memory for storing an address unique to the vehicle and compares an incoming address with said stored address to determine if the vehicle is receiving a control signal.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein said control circuit memory stores a first and a second address each of which are unique to a vehicle and wherein said first address is employed to identify a control signal for reprogramming the operation of an accessory.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein said control circuit responds to the receipt of said second address to apply a page message following said second address to the display for display to the vehicle operator.

11. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein said control circuit includes a microcontroller.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 and further including a least one land based transmitting facility for transmitting at least one of the combination of said first address and control signal and the combination of said second address and page message.

13. The system as defined in claim 6, wherein said paging signal includes an address and a control signal for reprogramming the operation of a side window, and wherein said control circuit reprograms the operation of the side window by changing the manner in which a controller for the side window controls the side window in response to an operation signal that is generated when a person operates a window control switch.

14. A system for the remote programming of vehicle accessories to reprogram the operation of said accessories comprising:

at least one land based transmitting facility for receiving instructions from a vehicle operator and initiating transmission of RF programming signals for reception by a vehicle, said RF programming signals including an address uniquely identifying a predetermined vehicle and accessory control information;

a vehicle receiver for receiving said RF programming signals;

a vehicle electrical system, said vehicle electrical system including a multiplex bus and at least one controlled accessory having a controller communicatively coupled to said multiplex bus for controlling said at least one controlled accessory in response to a vehicle operator initiated operation signal; and

a control circuit communicatively coupled to said receiver and to said vehicle electrical system for determining if a received paging signal includes an address which is the address uniquely identifying the vehicle and responsive thereto for reprogramming the operation of said controlled accessory in response to said accessory control information by changing the manner in which said controller controls the operation of said at least one controlled accessory upon reception of the vehicle operator initiated operation signal.

15. The system as defined in claim 14 and further including a display communicatively coupled to said control circuit for displaying information to the vehicle operator indicating that a vehicle accessory has been reprogrammed.

16. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein said control circuit includes a memory for storing an address unique to the vehicle and compares an incoming address with said stored address to determine if the vehicle is receiving a control signal.

17. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said control circuit memory stores a first and a second address each of which are unique to a vehicle and wherein said first address is employed to identify a control signal for reprogramming the operation of an accessory.

18. The system as defined in claim 17 wherein said control circuit responds to the receipt of said second address to apply a page message following said second address to the display for display to the vehicle operator.

19. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein said control circuit includes a microcontroller.

20. The system as defined in claim 14 and further including a least one land based transmitting facility for transmitting at least one of the combination of said first address and option control signal and the combination of said second address and page message.

21. The system as defined in claim 14, wherein said RF programming signals include an address and accessory control information for reprogramming the operation of a side window, and wherein said control circuit reprograms the operation of the side window by changing the manner in which a controller for the side window controls the side window in response to an operation signal that is generated when a person operates a window control switch.

22. A vehicle option programming system for the remote reprogramming of accessories in a vehicle comprising:

an electrically operated vehicle accessory operative in response to a vehicle operator initiated operation signal;

a receiver to be located in a vehicle for receiving paging signals from a land based paging transmitter, wherein the paging signals include an address uniquely identifying the vehicle and a control signal for reprogramming the operation of said vehicle accessory; and

a control circuit communicatively coupled to said receiver and to said vehicle accessory and responsive to the detection of an address identifying the vehicle and said control signal for selectively reprogramming the operation of said vehicle accessory in response to said control signal, wherein reprogramming said vehicle accessory changes the manner in which said vehicle accessory operates upon reception of the vehicle operator initiated operation signal.

23. The system as defined in claim 22, wherein said paging signals include an address and a control signal for reprogramming the operation of a side window, and wherein said control circuit reprograms the operation of the side window by changing the manner in which a controller for the side window controls the side window in response to an operation signal that is generated when a person operates a window control switch.