Electrical control system for vehicle options

• US 5,614,885 A
• Filed: 08/14/1990
• Issued: 03/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zeinstra, Mark L., Van Lente, Paul S., Suman, Michael J., DeVree, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/567,390
• Time in Patent Office: 2,415 Days
• Field of Search: 340/525, 340/459, 340/461, 340/462, 340/539, 340/531, 340/715, 340/825, 340/69, 340/825.72, 340/825.22, 364/424.01, 364/424.03, 364/424.05, 364/550, 318/16, 318/17, 318/286, 318/266, 318/264, 318/466, 318/467, 318/468, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 33/356, 33/361, 33/348, 362/83.1
• US Class Current: 340/525
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/123 with thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• 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 2009/00928 for garage doors
• 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: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

A vehicle structural accessory includes one or more electronic accessories. One electrical accessory which may be provided is an electronically trainable transmitter which is trainable to generate a control signal which will actuate a garage door opening mechanism. Another electronic accessory which may be included is an electronic compass. Yet another device is an electronically adjustable mirror having parameters set for each driver of a vehicle. The electronically adjustable rearview mirror and the electronically trainable garage door opener may be advantageously provided with a keyless entry system.

Claims

1. A vehicle trainable transmitter for actuating a garage door mechanism, said trainable transmitter comprising:

means for receiving a first transmitted control signal having a radio frequency carrier signal from a remote control for a garage door mechanism, said first control signal having a carrier frequency and said receiving means outputting said first control signal;

circuit means coupled to said receiving means for inputting said first control signal, storing carrier frequency information and said circuit means for detecting control signal information and for storing detected control signal information;

means for generating and transmitting a second control signal from said frequency information and said control signal information stored in said circuit means, whereby said second control signal has the carrier frequency identified by said circuit means and the control signal information detected by said circuit means and said second control signal is selectively transmitted to actuate the garage door mechanism without the remote control; and

means for generating reference signals having different frequencies, said reference signal generating means controlled by a frequency control signal, wherein said reference signal generating means outputs reference signals at different frequencies which are input to said circuit means, the frequency of said output reference signal being varied until said circuit means detects that the frequency of said reference signal and the frequency of said first control signal from said remote control are substantially equal.

2. A trainable transmitter as defined in claim 1 wherein said control signal information includes a binary code and said circuit detects the binary code in said first control signal of said remote control.

3. A trainable transmitter as defined in claim 2 wherein said transmitting means transmits said second control signal by controlling said signal generating means to generate a radio frequency carrier signal having the same frequency as said first control signal and transmitting said detected code using said radio frequency carrier signal.