Multi-vehicle compatible control system generating command signals on a data bus and associated methods

• US 6,346,876 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/583,332
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/425.5, 340/428, 340/429, 340/430, 340/576, 340/539, 340/825.69, 340/531, 340/533, 340/534, 180/167, 180/287, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5
• US Class Current: 340/426.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1018 Alarm systems characterised by features related to the general power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00222 by more than one push button
• 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 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00849 programming by learning
• 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

Abstract

A control system includes a transmitter and a receiver for receiving signals from the remote transmitter, and a multi-vehicle compatible controller cooperating with the transmitter and receiver. The multi-vehicle compatible controller preferably generates at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus for the at least one vehicle device. The at least one set of command signals may include at least one working command signal and at least one non-working command signal for a given vehicle to thereby provide compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles. Multiple signals or codes can be generated on the data communications bus, and only that code for the given vehicle will cause an operation or response from the vehicle device. Such an arrangement provides for a relatively simple and straightforward approach to interface with a vehicle having a data communications bus. The features are also readily implemented in an adaptor to use with conventional security or other control system controllers for vehicles.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus and at least one vehicle device connected to the data communications bus, the control system comprising:

a transmitter and a receiver for receiving signals from said transmitter; and

a multi-vehicle compatible controller at the vehicle and cooperating with said transmitter and receiver, said multi-vehicle compatible controller generating at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus for the at least one vehicle device, the at least one set of command signals comprising at least one working command signal and at least one non-working command signal for a given vehicle to thereby provide command compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

2. A control system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a plurality of vehicle devices;

and wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller generates a respective set of command signals for each vehicle device of the plurality thereof.

3. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller generates command signals sequentially.

4. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller generates command signals each representing digitally coded information.

5. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller comprises a memory for storing data relating to the at least one set of command signals.

6. A control system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises an alarm indicating device;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the alarm indicating device.

7. A control system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one vehicle door lock actuator;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one door lock actuator.

8. A control system according to claim 1 where the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one device relating to starting a vehicle engine;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one vehicle device relating to starting the vehicle engine.

9. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller generates each command signal of the at least one set of command signals a plurality of times.

10. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller comprises:

a controller for generating at least one controller signal; and

a multi-vehicle compatible adaptor connected to said controller for generating the at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus responsive to the at least one controller signal.

11. A control system according to claim 10 wherein said controller further comprises a first housing;

and said multi-vehicle adaptor comprises a second housing.

12. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller is further for storing a set of device codes for a given vehicle device for a plurality of different vehicles, for reading a device code from the data communications bus, and for determining a match between a read device code and the stored device codes to thereby provide reading compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

13. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter comprises a remote handheld transmitter to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle;

and wherein said receiver is at the vehicle.

14. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter comprises at least a central station transmitter;

and wherein said receiver is at the vehicle.

15. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said receiver comprises a remote receiver to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle;

and wherein said transmitter is at the vehicle.

16. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said receiver comprises at least a central station transmitter;

and wherein said transmitter is at the vehicle.

17. A control system according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter comprises a transponder transmitter to be carried by a user;

and wherein said receiver is at the vehicle.

18. An adaptor for adapting a control system for a vehicle to be compatible with a plurality of different vehicles, each vehicle comprising a data communications bus and at least one vehicle device connected thereto, the control system comprising a transmitter and a receiver for receiving signals from the remote transmitter, and a controller cooperating with the transmitter and receiver, the adaptor comprising:

a housing; and

a multi-vehicle compatible adaptor circuit mounted in said housing for generating at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus responsive to the controller, the at least one set of command signals comprising at least one working command signal and at least one non-working command signal for a given vehicle to thereby provide command compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

19. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a plurality of vehicle devices;

and wherein said multi-vehicle compatible adaptor circuit generates a respective set of command signals for each vehicle device of the plurality thereof.

20. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible adaptor circuit generates command signals sequentially.

21. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible adaptor circuit generates command signals each representing digitally coded information.

22. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible adaptor circuit comprises a memory for storing data relating to the at least one set of command signals.

23. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises an alarm indicating device;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the alarm indicating device.

24. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one vehicle door lock actuator;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one door lock actuator.

25. An adaptor according to claim 18 where the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one device relating to starting a vehicle engine;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one vehicle device relating to starting the vehicle engine.

26. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible adaptor circuit generates each command signal of the at least one set of command signals a plurality of times.

27. An adaptor according to claim 18 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible adaptor circuit is further for storing a set of device codes for a given vehicle device for a plurality of different vehicles, for reading a device code from the data communications bus, and for determining a match between a read device code and the stored device codes to thereby provide reading compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

28. A control method for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus and at least one vehicle device connected to the data communications bus, the method comprising:

generating at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus for the at least one vehicle device, the at least one set of command signals comprising at least one working command signal and at least one non-working command signal for a given vehicle to thereby provide command compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

29. A method according to claim 28 further comprising receiving a signal from a transmitter;

and wherein generating the at least one set of command signals is responsive to receiving the signal from the transmitter.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein the transmitter comprises a handheld remote transmitter to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle.

31. A method according to claim 29 wherein the transmitter comprises at least a central station transmitter.

32. A method according to claim 29 wherein the transmitter comprises a handheld transponder to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle.

33. A method according to claim 28 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a plurality of vehicle devices;

and further comprising generating a respective set of command signals for each vehicle device of the plurality thereof.

34. A method according to claim 28 wherein the command signals are generated sequentially.

35. A method according to claim 28 the command signals each represent digitally coded information.

36. A method according to claim 28 further comprising storing in a memory data relating to the at least one set of command signals.

37. A method according to claim 28 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises an alarm indicating device;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the alarm indicating device.

38. A method according to claim 28 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one vehicle door lock actuator;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one door lock actuator.

39. A method according to claim 28 where the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one device relating to starting a vehicle engine;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one vehicle device relating to starting the vehicle engine.

40. A method according to claim 28 wherein each command signal of the at least one set of command signals is generated a plurality of times.

41. A method according to claim 28 further comprising:

storing a set of device codes for a given vehicle device for a plurality of different vehicles;

reading a device code from the data communications bus; and

determining a match between a read device code and the stored device codes to thereby provide reading compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

42. A method for adapting a control system for a vehicle to be compatible with plurality of different vehicles, each vehicle comprising a data communications bus and at least one vehicle device connected to the data communications bus, the control system comprising a transmitter and a receiver for receiving signals from the transmitter, and a controller cooperating with the transmitter and receiver, the method comprising:

monitoring an output of the controller; and

generating at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus responsive to the output of the controller, the at least one set of command signals comprising at least one working command signal and at least one non-working command signal for a given vehicle to thereby provide command compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

43. A method according to claim 42 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a plurality of vehicle devices;

and further comprising generating a respective set of command signals for each vehicle device of the plurality thereof.

44. A method according to claim 42 wherein the command signals are generated sequentially.

45. A method according to claim 42 wherein the command signals each represent digitally coded information.

46. A method according to claim 42 further comprising storing in a memory data relating to the at least one set of command signals.

47. A method according to claim 42 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises an alarm indicating device;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the alarm indicating device.

48. A method according to claim 42 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one vehicle door lock actuator;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one door lock actuator.

49. A method according to claim 42 where the at least one vehicle device comprises at least one device relating to starting a vehicle engine;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals is for operating the at least one vehicle device relating to starting the vehicle engine.

50. A method according to claim 42 wherein each command signal of the at least one set of command signals is generated a plurality of times.

51. A method according to claim 42 further comprising:

storing a set of device codes for a given vehicle device for a plurality of different vehicles;

reading a device code from the data communications bus; and

determining a match between a read device code and the stored device codes to thereby provide reading compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles reading signals on the data communications bus.