On-vehicle receiving system

• US 5,722,058 A
• Filed: 03/07/1995
• Issued: 02/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tamura, Takayuki, Umemoto, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US08/400,060
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/88, 455/127, 455/140, 455/277.1, 455/278.1, 455/345, 455/352, 455/353, 455/132, 455/89-90, 455/277.2, 455/133-135, 455/142, 455/143, 455/290, 343/876, 343/1-32, 340/825.03, 340/825.16, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/825.4, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.76
• US Class Current: 455/140
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

An on-vehicle receiving system for optimizing the receiving performance of a radio receiver and a remote controlled receiver, whereby a remote-controlled receiver and a radio receiver share an on-vehicle antenna. A key detector for detecting whether an ignition key is fitted into a key cylinder of the vehicle is employed and a selector switch for connecting the on-vehicle antenna selectively to the remote-controlled receiver or the radio receiver are incorporated. When the key detector detects that the ignition key is fitted into the key cylinder, the selector switch selects the radio receiver. When it is detected that the ignition key is not fitted into the key cylinder, the remote-controlled receiver is selected. In one embodiment, a remote-controlled receiver and a radio receiver share not only an on-vehicle antenna but also part of receiving equipment. The remote-controlled receiver and radio receiver can also share the frequency and modulation form employed. In another embodiment, the detector is designed to detect whether the vehicle ACC switch is turned on by the ignition key instead of whether the ignition key is fitted into the key cylinder.

Claims

1. An on-vehicle receiving system, comprising:

a first receiver which receives a first signal;

a second receiver which receives a second signal differing from the first signal;

an antenna, said antenna adapted to receive said first signal and said second signal;

a selector switch coupled to said antenna, said first receiver and said second receiver, said selector switch selectively applying a signal received on said antenna to either said first receiver or said second receiver in response to a first control signal and a second control signal, respectively;

a detector, said detector generating a detector signal indicating one of a first state and a second state of said detector; and

a controller for transmitting said first and second control signals to said selector switch in response to a state of said detector,

wherein when said detector signal indicates said first state, said controller generates said first control signal such that said selector switch connects said antenna to first said receiver, and when said detector signal indicates said second state, said controller generates said second control signal such that said selector switch connects said antenna to said second receiver, and

wherein said first signal is a remote control signal from a remote control unit and said first receiver is adapted for receiving said remote control signal.

2. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 1, wherein said second receiver is an AM/FM radio receiver.

3. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 1, wherein said remote-controlled receiver is part of a keyless entry system for said vehicle.

4. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 1, wherein said remote-controlled receiver is part of a car security system for said vehicle.

5. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 2, wherein said remote-controlled receiver, said radio receiver, said detector, and said controller are a single integrated unit.

6. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 2, wherein said remote-controlled receiver and said radio receiver are separate units.

7. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 2, wherein portions of said AM/FM radio receiver are shared by said remote-controlled receiver.

8. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 7, wherein said shared portions of said AM/FM radio receiver include:

an intermediate frequency amplifier; and

a phase detector,

wherein said remote-controlled receiver and said radio receiver use a same intermediate frequency and a same modulation/demodulation form.

9. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 7, wherein said remote-controlled receiver and said radio receiver operate on a same frequency and said shared portion of said AM/FM radio receiver includes a front end processor.

10. An on-vehicle receiving system, comprising:

a first receiver which receives a first signal;

a second receiver which receives a second signal differing from the first signal;

an antenna, said antenna adapted to receive said first signal and said second signal;

a selector switch coupled to said antenna, thereby selectively applying a signal received on said antenna to either said first receiver or said second receiver;

a detector, said detector indicating a first state and a second state; and

a controller coupled to operate said selector switch in response to a state of said detector, whereby when said detector indicates said first state said controller operates said selector switch to connect said antenna to said first receiver, and when said detector indicates said second state said controller operates said selector switch to connect said antenna to said second receiver;

wherein said detector includes a key detector for detecting if an ignition key is inserted into a key cylinder of said vehicle and said detector indicates said first state when said ignition key is removed from said key cylinder and said detector indicates said second state when said ignition key is inserted in said key cylinder.

11. An on-vehicle receiving system, comprising:

a first receiver which receives a first signal;

a second receiver which receives a second signal differing from the first signal;

an antenna, said antenna adapted to receive said first signal and said second signal;

a selector switch coupled to said antenna, thereby selectively applying a signal received on said antenna to either said first receiver or second receiver;

a detector, said detector indicating a first state and a second state; and

a controller coupled to operate said selector switch in response to a state of said detector, whereby when said detector indicates said first state said controller operates said selector switch to connect said antenna to said first receiver, and when said detector indicates said second state said controller operates said selector switch to connect said antenna to said second receiver;

wherein said detector detects a state of an ACC switch of an ignition of said vehicle, said detector indicating said first state when said ACC switch is off and said detector indicating said second state when said ACC switch is on.

12. An on-vehicle receiving system, comprising:

a remote-controlled receiver to receive a radio signal from a remote control unit;

a radio broadcast signal receiver, wherein portions of said radio broadcast receiver are shared by said remote-controlled receiver;

an on-vehicle antenna, said antenna adapted for receiving said signal from said remote control unit and radio broadcast signals, said antenna being connected to said remote-controlled receiver and to said radio receiver;

a selector switch, said selector switch selectively connecting said on-vehicle antenna and said shared portions of said radio broadcast receiver to either said remote-controlled receiver or said radio receiver;

a key detector, said key detector indicating a first state and a second state, said key detector indicating said first state when an ignition key is inserted into a key cylinder of said vehicle, said key detector indicating said second state when said ignition key is removed from said key cylinder; and

a controller coupled to operate said selector switch in response to a state of said key detector, whereby when said key detector indicates said first state said controller causes said selector switch to connect said antenna and said shared portions of said radio broadcast signal receiver to said radio receiver and when said key detector indicates said second state, said controller causes said selector to connect said antenna and said shared portions of said radio broadcast signal receiver to said remote-controlled receiver.

13. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 12, wherein said remote-controlled receiver and said radio receiver operate on a same frequency and said shared portion of said radio broadcast signal receiver includes a front end processor.

14. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 12, wherein said remote-controlled receiver is part of a keyless entry system for said vehicle and said controller includes a drive circuit for locking and unlocking a door of said vehicle in response to a signal from said remote-controlled unit.

15. An on-vehicle receiving system, comprising:

a remote-controlled receiver adapted to receive a radio signal from a remote control unit;

a radio broadcast signal receiver;

an on-vehicle antenna, said on-vehicle antenna adapted for receiving said radio signal from said remote control unit and radio broadcast signals;

a selector switch for selectively connecting a signal received on said on-vehicle antenna to either said remote-controlled receiver or said radio broadcast signal receiver;

a detector for detecting when an ACC switch of said vehicle is turned on by an ignition key of said vehicle; and

a controller coupled to operate said selector switch in response to a state of said detector, whereby when said detector detects that said ACC switch is on, said controller operates said selector switch to connect said on-vehicle antenna to said radio broadcast signal receiver and when said detector detects that said ACC switch is off, said controller operates said selector switch to connect said on-vehicle antenna to said remote-controlled receiver.

16. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 15, wherein said remote-controlled receiver is part of a keyless entry system of said vehicle and said controller includes a drive circuit for locking and unlocking a door of said vehicle in response to a signal from said remote control unit.

17. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 15, wherein said remote-controlled receiver is part of a security system for said vehicle.

18. An on-vehicle receiving system according to claim 15, wherein said remote-controlled receiver, said radio receiver, said detector, and said controller are a single integrated unit.

19. An on-vehicle receiving system, comprising:

means for receiving a radio signal from a remote control unit;

means for receiving a radio broadcast signal;

an antenna adapted for receiving said remote-controlled signal and said radio broadcast signal; and

means for selectively connecting a signal received by said antenna to either said means for receiving a remote control signal or said means for receiving a radio broadcast signal.

20. A method of selectively connecting signals to an on-vehicle receiving system wherein said on-vehicle receiving system includes a remote control unit receiver and a radio broadcast receiver, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an antenna adapted for receiving a remote-control signal and a radio broadcast signal; and

selectively connecting said antenna to either said remote control unit receiver or said radio broadcast receiver.