Communication system

• US 6,538,558 B2
• Filed: 09/19/1997
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Asakura, Suguru, Seki, Noboru, Sakazume, Tatsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/933,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/426, 340/825.22, 340/5.22, 340/5.23, 702/78, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/5.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A communication system capable of preventing a lost transmitter from being used by an unauthorized user for a bad purpose, and also capable of easily enabling the lost transmitter to be used again when it is found. The communication system comprises: a transmitter for transmitting a transmission code containing at least an identification code uniquely assigned to the transmitter; and a receiver comprising: an identification code memory capable of storing a received identification code; a signal processing unit which compares the received identification code with an identification code stored in the identification code memory and outputs a control signal to a part to be controlled if the comparison shows that both the identification codes are identical to each other; and a mode controller for switching the operation mode of the signal processing unit from a normal mode to a control signal disable mode wherein in the normal mode the control signal is allowed to be output whereas the control signal is prohibited to be output in the control signal disable mode.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a transmission code containing at least a first identification code uniquely assigned to said transmitter; and

a receiver for receiving the transmission code, the receiver comprising;

a memory for storing a second identification code;

a signal processing unit for comparing a received first identification code with the second identification code stored in said memory, and for transmitting a control signal to a part to be controlled if the first and second identification codes are identical to each other; and

a mode controller for switching an operation mode of said signal processing unit from a normal mode, in which said control signal to said part is transmitted when the first and second identification codes are identical, to a control signal disable mode, in which said control signal to said part is not transmitted when the first and second identification codes are identical,

wherein said transmission code includes a variable code, and said memory has a variable code storage area for storing said variable code wherein, when said first identification code and said second identification code are identical to each other, said signal processing unit compares the variable code in said transmission code with the variable code stored in said variable code storage area and delivers said control signal to said part to be controlled when a match is obtained between the variable codes within a predetermined range, wherein said processing unit updates the variable code in said variable code storage area with the received variable code at the same time as the delivery of said control signal, whereby the comparison between the variable codes and the update of the variable code of said transmission code and the update of the variable code stored in said variable code storage area is performed even in said control signal disable mode.

2. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a transmission code containing at least a first identification code uniquely assigned to said transmitter; and

a receiver for receiving the transmission code, the receiver comprising;

a memory for storing a second identification code;

a signal processing unit having three operation modes;

a normal mode, in which a control signal is transmitted to a part to be controlled if a received first identification code is identical to the second identification code stored in said memory, an identification code writing mode, in which said received first identification code is written as the second identification code into said memory, and a third operation mode, which is different from the normal mode and the identification code writing mode;

wherein said signal processing unit includes a mode setter to automatically switch the operation mode from the normal mode to either the identification code writing mode or the third operation mode, which is different from the normal mode and the identification code writing mode, depending on whether a transmission code is received within a predetermined period of time after implementing a mode setting state by execution of a predetermined procedure.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein said third operation mode is a control signal disable mode in which said signal processing unit does not output a control signal to the part to be controlled.

4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein said predetermined procedure comprises a combination of operations associated with a previously received transmission code and information supplied from an outside source.

5. The communication system of claim 4, wherein said receiver includes a timer and said predetermined period of time is form when said timer starts at the end of said predetermined procedure to when said timer expires or a predetermined signal change occurs in said information supplied form the outside source.

6. The communication system of claim 3, wherein switching to and from said control signal disable mode are effected by a common operation procedure.

7. The communication system of claim 3, wherein said receiver includes a timer and said predetermined period of time is from when said timer starts at the end of said predetermined procedure to when said timer expires or a predetermined signal change occurs in said information supplied from the outside source.

8. The communication system of claim 2, wherein said predetermined procedure comprises a particular combination of operations associated with a previously received transmission code and information supplied from an outside source.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein said communication system is incorporated into a vehicle, and wherein said information supplied from the outside source is information generated by operating an ignition key of the vehicle.

10. The communication system of claim 8, wherein said receiver includes a timer and said predetermined period of time is from when said timer starts at the end of said predetermined procedure to when said timer expires or a predetermined signal change occurs in said information supplied from the outside source.

11. The communication system of claim 2, wherein said receiver includes a timer and said predetermined period of time is from when said timer starts at the end of said predetermined procedure to when said timer expires or a predetermined signal change occurs in said information supplied from the outside source.

12. A communication system according to claim 2, wherein the signal processing unit treats identical operation signals from the transmitter differently dependent on the mode into which the signal processing unit is switched when receiving the identical operation signal from the transmitter.

13. A communication system according to claim 2, wherein the transmission code includes a variable code, and the memory has a variable code storage area for storing the variable code wherein, when the first identification code and the second identification code are identical to each other, the signal processing unit compares the variable code in the transmission code with the variable code stored in the variable code storage area and delivers the control signal to the part to be controlled when a match is obtained between the variable codes within a predetermined range, wherein the processing unit updates the variable code in the variable code storage area with the received variable code at the same time as the delivery of the control signal, whereby the comparison between the variable codes and the update of the variable code of the transmission code and the update of the variable code stored in the variable code storage area is performed independent of the mode of the processing unit.

14. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a transmission code containing at least an identification code uniquely assigned to said transmitter; and

a receiver for receiving the transmission code, the receiver comprising;

a receiving unit for receiving the transmission code transmitted from said transmitter;

a memory switchable between a reading mode for enabling reading of the content therefrom and a writing mode for enabling writing of the received identification code therein; and

a signal processing unit for extracting the identification code from said transmission code and comparing the extracted identification code with the identification code stored in said memory, said processing unit having a normal mode in which, when the compared identification codes are identical, a control signal is transmitted to a part to be controlled and having also an identification code writing mode in which the received identification code is written into said memory,

wherein said signal processing unit comprises a mode setter to select and set the operation modes automatically through execution of an identical procedure, such that, if said transmission code is received within a predetermined period of time, said memory is set to said writing mode to enable the received identification code to be written therein, whereas, if said transmission code is not received within said predetermined period of time, said memory is maintained in the reading mode to permit reading therefrom, said mode setter also being operable to automatically and selectively set said signal processing unit to either a control signal disable mode in which, when the compared identification codes are identical, said control signal is not transmitted to said part or to said normal mode, depending on the operation mode from which the mode switching is performed.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein said signal processing unit is so arranged as to be automatically set by said mode setter to said control signal disable mode when the mode switching is performed from said normal mode.

16. A communication system according to claim 14, wherein the signal processing unit treats identical operation signals from the transmitter differently dependent on the mode into which the signal processing unit is switched when receiving the identical operation signal from the transmitter.

17. A communication system according to claim 14, wherein the transmission code includes a variable code, and the memory has a variable code storage area for storing the variable code wherein, when the first identification code and the second identification code are identical to each other, the signal processing unit compares the variable code in the transmission code with the variable code stored in the variable code storage area and delivers the control signal to the part to be controlled when a match is obtained between the variable codes within a predetermined range, wherein the processing unit updates the variable code in the variable code storage area with the received variable code at the same time as the delivery of the control signal, whereby the comparison between the variable codes and the update of the variable code of the transmission code and the update of the variable code stored in the variable code storage area is performed even in the control signal disable mode.

18. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a transmission code containing at least a first identification code uniquely assigned to said transmitter; and

a receiver for receiving the transmission code, the receiver comprising;

a memory for storing a second identification code;

a signal processing unit for comparing a received first identification code with the second identification code stored in said memory, and for transmitting a control signal to a part to be controlled if the first and second identification codes are identical to each other; and

a mode controller for switching an operation mode of said signal processing unit from a normal mode, in which said control signal to said part is transmitted when the first and second identification codes are identical, to a control signal disable mode, in which said control signal to said part is not transmitted when the first and second identification codes are identical, the switching of the operation mode to the control signal disable mode determined by a predetermined combination of the received code and outside information supplied from an outside source.

19. A communication system according to claim 18, wherein the transmission code includes a variable code, and the memory has a variable code storage area for storing the variable code wherein, when the first identification code and the second identification code are identical to each other, the signal processing unit compares the variable code in the transmission code with the variable code stored in the variable code storage area and delivers the control signal to the part to be controlled when a match is obtained between the variable codes within a predetermined range, wherein the processing unit updates the variable code in the variable code storage area with the received variable code at the same time as the delivery of the control signal, whereby the comparison between the variable codes and the update of the variable code of the transmission code and the update of the variable code stored in the variable code storage area is performed even in the control signal disable mode.

20. A communication system according to claim 18, wherein the signal processing unit treats identical operation signals from the transmitter differently dependent on the mode into which the signal processing unit is switched when receiving the identical operation signal from the transmitter.

21. A communication system according to claim 18, wherein the outside information is supplied by operation of vehicle equipment.

22. A communication system according to claim 18, wherein the combination comprises repetition of a cycle of the transmission code and the outside information.

23. A communication system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a transmission code containing at least an identification code uniquely assigned to said transmitter; and

a receiver for receiving the transmission code, the receiver comprising;

a receiving unit for receiving the transmission code transmitted from said transmitter;

a memory for storing a received identification code; and

a signal processing unit for extracting the identification code from said transmission code and comparing the extracted identification code with the identification code stored in said memory, said signal processing unit including;

a normal mode in which, when the compared identification codes are identical, a control signal is transmitted to a part to be controlled;

an identification code writing mode in which the received identification code is written in said memory; and

a control signal disable mode in which, when the compared identification codes are identical, a control signal is not transmitted to said part,

wherein said signal processing unit comprises a mode setter to select and set an operation mode automatically through execution of an identical procedure, such that, when the switching of the operation mode is executed from said normal mode, the normal mode is switched to said identification code writing mode if said transmission code is received within a predetermined period of time, whereas if said transmission code is not received within said predetermined period of time, said normal mode is switched to said control signal disable mode, and, when the switching of the operation mode is executed from said control signal disable mode, the control signal disable mode is switched to said identification code writing mode if said transmission code is received within said predetermined period of time, whereas if said transmission code is not received within said predetermined period of time, said control signal disable mode is switched to the normal mode.

24. A communication system according to claim 23, wherein the transmission code includes a variable code, and the memory has a variable code storage area for storing the variable code wherein, when the first identification code and the second identification code are identical to each other, the signal processing unit compares the variable code in the transmission code with the variable code stored in the variable code storage area and delivers the control signal to the part to be controlled when a match is obtained between the variable codes within a predetermined range, wherein the processing unit updates the variable code in the variable code storage area with the received variable code at the same time as the delivery of the control signal, whereby the comparison between the variable codes and the update of the variable code of the transmission code and the update of the variable code stored in the variable code storage area is performed even in the control signal disable mode.

25. A communication system according to claim 23, wherein the signal processing unit treats identical operation signals from the transmitter differently dependent on the mode into which the signal processing unit is switched when receiving the identical operation signal from the transmitter.