Vehicle remote control system having keyless entry and piggyback control features and associated methods
DCFirst Claim
1. A vehicle control system comprising:
- a data communications bus at the vehicle;
at least one vehicle sensor;
a remote keyless entry (RKE) system comprising an RKE transmitter to be carried by a user, an RKE receiver at the vehicle, an RKE controller connected to said RKE receiver for generating RKE signals on said data communications bus responsive to said RKE transmitter, and at least one RKE actuator for performing an RKE function responsive to the RKE signals; and
a piggyback controller at the vehicle and connected to said data communications bus for performing a desired piggyback control function based upon predetermined RKE signals generated on said data communications bus by said RKE controller.
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Abstract
A vehicle control system includes a data communications bus, a remote keyless entry (RKE) system, and a piggyback controller at the vehicle for performing a desired function based upon predetermined RKE signals generated on the data communications bus by the RKE controller. The RKE system may include an RKE transmitter to be carried by a user, an RKE receiver, and the RKE controller connected to the RKE receiver for generating the RKE signals on the data communications bus responsive to the RKE transmitter. An RKE actuator is connected to the bus for performing an RKE function. The piggyback controller permits the straightforward addition of one or more new remote control functions to a vehicle already including a remote keyless entry system and a data communications bus. The piggyback controller may comprise a piggyback alarm controller connected to at least one vehicle security sensor. The desired function may then be switching the piggyback alarm controller between an armed mode, capable of generating an alarm based upon the at least one vehicle security sensor, and a disarmed mode. In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, a remote start function can be piggybacked onto an existing RKE system.
102 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A vehicle control system comprising:
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a data communications bus at the vehicle;
at least one vehicle sensor;
a remote keyless entry (RKE) system comprising an RKE transmitter to be carried by a user, an RKE receiver at the vehicle, an RKE controller connected to said RKE receiver for generating RKE signals on said data communications bus responsive to said RKE transmitter, and at least one RKE actuator for performing an RKE function responsive to the RKE signals; and
a piggyback controller at the vehicle and connected to said data communications bus for performing a desired piggyback control function based upon predetermined RKE signals generated on said data communications bus by said RKE controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
a memory for storing a plurality of sets of RKE signals for different vehicles; and
a selector for selecting predetermined RKE signals from the plurality of different sets of RKE signals for different vehicles.
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11. A vehicle control system according to claim 10 wherein said selector comprises a user selector for permitting a user to select the predetermined RKE signals.
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12. A vehicle control system according to claim 9 wherein said desired signal enabling means comprises bus learning means for learning the predetermined RKE signals based upon RKE signals on the data communications bus.
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13. A vehicle control system according to claim 9 wherein said desired signal enabling means comprises download learning means for learning the predetermined RKE signals from a downloading device.
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14. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
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15. A vehicle control system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise a predetermined pattern of at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
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16. A vehicle security system for a vehicle of a type comprising a data communications bus at the vehicle, a remote keyless entry (RKE) transmitter to be carried by a user, an RKE receiver at the vehicle, an RKE controller connected to the RKE receiver for generating RKE signals on the data communications bus responsive to the RKE transmitter, and at least one RKE actuator for performing an RKE function the vehicle security system comprising:
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at least one vehicle security sensor at the vehicle; and
a piggyback alarm controller switching between an armed mode and a disarmed mode based upon predetermined RKE signals generated on the data communications bus by the RKE controller, said piggyback alarm controller when in the armed mode being capable of generating an alarm based upon said at least one vehicle security sensor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
a memory for storing a plurality of sets of RKE signals for different vehicles; and
a selector for selecting predetermined RKE signals from the plurality of different sets of RKE signals for different vehicles.
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21. A vehicle security system according to claim 20 wherein said selector comprises a user selector for permitting a user to select the predetermined RKE signals.
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22. A vehicle security system according to claim 19 wherein said desired signal enabling means comprises bus learning means for learning the predetermined RKE signals based upon RKE signals on the data communications bus.
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23. A vehicle security system according to claim 19 wherein said desired signal enabling means comprises download learning means for learning the predetermined RKE signals from a downloading device.
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24. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
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25. A vehicle security system according to claim 16 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise a predetermined pattern of at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
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26. A remote start system for a vehicle of a type comprising a data communications bus at the vehicle, a remote keyless entry (RKE) transmitter to be carried by a user, an RKE receiver at the vehicle, an RKE controller connected to the RKE receiver for generating RKE signals on the data communications bus responsive to the RKE transmitter, at least one RKE actuator for performing an RKE function responsive to RKE signals, and an engine start circuit, the remote start system comprising:
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at least one vehicle sensor; and
a piggyback remote start controller for activating the engine start circuit based upon predetermined RKE signals generated on the data communications bus by the RKE controller and said at least one vehicle sensor. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
a memory for storing a plurality of sets of RKE signals for different vehicles; and
a selector for selecting predetermined RKE signals from the plurality of different sets of RKE signals for different vehicles.
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31. A remote start system according to claim 30 wherein said selector comprises a user selector for permitting a user to select the predetermined RKE signals.
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32. A remote start system according to claim 29 wherein said desired signal enabling means comprises bus learning means for learning the predetermined RKE signals based upon RKE signals on the data communications bus.
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33. A remote start system according to claim 29 wherein said desired signal enabling means comprises download learning means for learning the predetermined RKE signals from a downloading device.
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34. A remote start system according to claim 26 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
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35. A remote start system according to claim 26 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise a predetermined pattern of at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
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36. A method for piggybacking a desired function to a remote keyless entry (RKE) system in a vehicle of a type comprising a data communications bus, the RKE system comprising an RKE transmitter to be carried by a user, an RKE receiver, an RKE controller connected to the RKE receiver for generating RKE signals on the data communications bus responsive to the RKE transmitter, and at least one RKE actuator for performing an RKE function responsive to RKE signals, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting a piggyback controller to the data communications bus; and
using the piggyback controller to perform a desired piggyback control function based upon predetermined RKE signals generated on the data communications bus by the RKE controller. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
storing a plurality of sets of RKE signals for different vehicles in the piggyback controller; and
selecting predetermined RKE signals from the plurality of stored sets of RKE signals for different vehicles.
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41. A method according to claim 39 wherein the step of permitting performance comprises learning the predetermined RKE signals based upon RKE signals on the data communications bus.
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42. A method according to claim 39 wherein the step of permitting performance comprises learning the predetermined RKE signals from a downloading device.
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43. A method according to claim 36 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
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44. A method according to claim 36 wherein the predetermined RKE signals comprise a predetermined pattern of at least one of door lock signals, door unlock signals, trunk release signals, light control signals, and horn control signals.
Specification