Communication system and method for keyless-entry alarms

• US 6,034,593 A
• Filed: 07/31/1998
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chapeau, Stephane D., Chase, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/127,130
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/426, 340/539, 340/429, 340/522, 307/10.2, 307/10.5
• US Class Current: 340/426.36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

A communication system and method for keyless-entry alarms includes a vehicle-mounted alarm transducer (215) controlled by a vehicle-mounted control system (250) that includes a receiver (207). The system also includes a hand-held R.K.E. transmitter device (200) for transmitting a radio-frequency message. The vehicle-mounted alarm transducer (215) is deactivated when receiving the transmitted radio-frequency message. If the vehicle-mounted alarm transducer (215) was active when it was deactivated, and a deactivate-alarm command code is not received in the radio-frequency message, then the vehicle-mounted alarm transducer (215) is reactivated after the transmitted radio-frequency message is completely received and decoded.

Claims

1. A communication method for keyless entry alarms comprising the steps of:

activating a vehicle-mounted alarm transducer;

transmitting a radio-frequency message; and

delaying activation of the vehicle-mounted alarm transducer while receiving the transmitted radio-frequency message to facilitate reception of the radio-frequency message.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmitted radio-frequency message comprises a command code, the method further comprising a step of:

decoding the transmitted radio-frequency message and reactivating the alarm transducer when a deactivate-alarm command code is not decoded.

3. A keyless entry alarm system for a vehicle comprising:

a remote transmitter for transmitting a message;

a vehicle-mounted control system with a receiver operatively coupled to an alarm transducer;

wherein the receiver delays activation of the alarm transducer while receiving the message transmitted by the remote transmitter to facilitate reception of the message.

4. A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein the remote transmitter comprises a radio-frequency transmitter and the receiver comprises a radio-frequency receiver.