Door actuated pager receiver

• US 5,959,545 A
• Filed: 01/31/1997
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lhamon, Ruskin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEANGLAUDE, JEAN BRUNER
• Application Number:
  US08/790,723
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.34, 340/311.1, 340/825.47, 340/825.48, 340/825.31, 340/825.69, 315/84, 315/82, 315/83, 315/76, 315/77, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6, 307/10.7, 307/10.8, 307/10.9
• US Class Current: 340/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A pager is powered by the vehicle'"'"'s battery and coupled to a power control circuit for selectively applying power to the pager upon an operator initiated event. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the power control circuit is controlled by a switch associated with the movement of a door handle for providing power to the pager for a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A door-actuated paging receiver comprising:

a receiver for receiving signals from a subscription service, said receiver including a power input selectively coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s power supply for receiving operating power, said receiver including an output terminal for providing output signals from said receiver; and

a power control circuit coupled between said power input of said receiver and the vehicle'"'"'s battery,'"'"'said power control circuit including a switch actuated by an operator entering the vehicle for selectively applying power to said receiver.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 further includes a decoder coupled to said receiver output for decoding received signals and providing a vehicle accessory control output signal.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 further includes an accessory control circuit coupled to said decoder circuit and responding to an accessory control output signal for controlling a vehicle accessory.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said switch of said power control circuit is an electrically operated switch and a latching circuit for latching said switch in a closed position in response to the vehicle initiated event for a predetermined period of time.

5. The system as defined in claim 4 further includes a door actuated switch coupled to a vehicle door to be actuated momentarily upon movement of the external vehicle door handle, said door actuated switch coupled between said power control circuit control input terminal and said vehicle battery for actuating said switch of said power control circuit to provide operating power to said receiver for a predetermined period of time.

6. A vehicle control system for remotely controlling vehicle accessories comprising:

a transceiver for receiving control signals from a subscription service, said transceiver selectively coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s power supply for receiving operating power, said transceiver including an output terminal for providing control output signals; and

a power control circuit coupled between said transceiver and the vehicle'"'"'s battery, said power control circuit actuated by an operator opening a vehicle door for selectively applying power to said transceiver for a predetermined period of time and for transmitting a signal to a subscription service indicating that the system is enabled.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 further includes a decoder coupled to said output terminal of said transceiver for decoding received signals and providing a vehicle accessory control output signal.

8. The system as defined in claim 7 further includes an accessory control circuit coupled to said decoder circuit and responsive to said accessory control output signal for controlling an accessory.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein said power control circuit includes a solid state switch and a latching circuit for latching said switch in a closed position for a predetermined period of time after an operator opens a vehicle door.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 further includes a switch coupled to an external vehicle door handle to be actuated momentarily upon movement of the external vehicle door handle, said switch coupled to an input of said power control circuit for actuating said power control circuit to provide operating power to said transceiver for a predetermined period of time.

11. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein said power control circuit includes an adjustable timer for selecting the time period during which power is applied to said transceiver in response to the actuation of said door actuated switch.

12. A vehicle energy control system comprising:

an electrically operated signal receiving device for receiving power from the vehicle'"'"'s battery; and

a power control circuit coupled between said device and the vehicle'"'"'s battery, said power control circuit actuated by a vehicle operator initiated event for selectively applying power to said device, and further including a door actuated switch coupled to a vehicle door to be actuated momentarily upon movement of the external vehicle door handle, said switch coupled to said power control circuit control for actuating said power control circuit to provide operating power to said device upon movement of said door handle.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said power control circuit further includes an electrically operated switch and a latching circuit for latching said electrically operated switch in a closed position in response to the movement of the vehicle door handle for a predetermined period of time.

14. A vehicle energy saving system for an electrically operated communication device comprising:

a receiver for receiving communication signals, said receiver selectively coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s power supply for receiving operating power; and

a power control circuit coupled between said receiver and the vehicle'"'"'s battery, said power control circuit actuated by a vehicle operator initiated event for selectively applying power to said receiver for a predetermined period of time to receive communication signals during said period of time, and further including a switch coupled to an external vehicle door handle to be actuated momentarily upon movement of the external vehicle door handle, said switch coupled to an input of said power control circuit for actuating said power control circuit to provide operating power to said receiver for said predetermined period of time.

15. The system as defined in claim 14 and further including a decoder coupled to said output terminal of said receiver for decoding received signals and providing a vehicle accessory control output signal.

16. The system as defined in claim 15 further includes an accessory control circuit coupled to said decoder circuit and responsive to said accessory control output signal for controlling an accessory.

17. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said power control circuit includes a solid state switch and a latching circuit for latching said switch in a closed position in response to an operator initiated event for said predetermined period of time.

18. The system as defined in claim 17 wherein said power control circuit includes an adjustable timer for selecting the time period during which power is applied to said receiver in response to the actuation of said door actuated switch.