Remote control car starter

• US 6,561,151 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3061868 Canada Inc.
• Original Assignee: 3061868 Canada Inc.
• Inventors: Lavoie, Jean-Pierre, Wisnia, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castro, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US09/642,565
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.2, 123/179.3
• US Class Current: 123/179.2
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/061 Battery state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

A method for starting a car engine remotely by sensing the car battery voltage using an algorithm that can adjust its K value on a regular basis whenever the remote control is put into learn mode and a manual sequence is carried out prior to starting the car remotely. The device is highly reliable and easy to install due to a reduction in the amount of wires necessary for its installation and functioning. The device can be used for a wide variety of vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for starting an engine automatically comprising the steps of:

measuring a battery voltage of a battery powering a starter motor of said engine over time to obtain a measured battery voltage;

detecting a manual start of said starter motor;

detecting a manual release of said starter motor;

calculating a ratio K of said measured battery voltage prior to said manual start to said measured battery voltage at or before said manual release;

during automatic start, monitoring said battery voltage, starting said starter motor and releasing said starter motor when said battery voltage reaches a value equal to a product of K and said battery voltage sampled prior to starting said starter motor automatically.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a start command signal is received from a remote control.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of measuring a voltage of a battery powering a starter motor further comprises the step of acquiring voltage samples using an A/D converter and storing the voltage data samples for an average operator response time T_delta seconds from the current time in a buffer.

4. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the step of acquiring voltage samples further comprises averaging and filtering said samples.

5. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the step of performing the calculation of K further comprises deriving the value from said measured voltage prior to said manual start, V_ign, and said measured voltage at or before said manual release, V_start, obtained T_delta seconds before the end of the starter motor activation, using the equation:

$K=\left(\frac{V_{\mathrm{start}}}{V_{\mathrm{ign}}}*100\right)-3$

where 3 is the tolerance factor, within a minimum K value of 60 and a maximum K value of 97.

6. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein during said automatic start, said engine is cranked for a minimum time T_m.

7. A device for starting an engine automatically comprising;

a voltage measurer for measuring a battery voltage of a battery powering a starter motor of said engine to obtain a measured voltage;

a learn controller for detecting a manual start and a manual release of said starter motor and calculating a ratio K of said measured voltage prior to said manual start to said measured voltage at or before said manual release;

a storage device to store said ratio K; and

a remote start controller for starting said starter motor and releasing said starter motor when said battery voltage reaches a value equal to a product of K and said battery voltage sampled prior to starting said starter motor automatically.

8. A device as defined in claim 7, further comprising an A/D converter to acquire voltage samples and a buffer for storing said voltage samples.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, further comprising means for averaging and filtering said voltage samples.

10. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein said learn controller calculates a value for K and it remains set.

11. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein said learn controller calculates a value for K that can be updated on a regular basis.

12. A device as defined in claim 11, wherein said learn controller is set to take the average of a plurality of most recent manual starts to calculate said K value.

13. A device as defined in claim 12, wherein said learn controller is set to disregard a manual start that occurs less than a minimum time period of 20 minutes following an engine shutdown in order to calculate K.

14. A device as defined in claim 7, further comprising a temperature sensor, and a plurality of K values stored in said storage device, each K value corresponding to a range of temperatures, said temperature sensor sensing the outside temperature and said remote start controller using the K value appropriate for said outside temperature.

15. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein said remote car starter responds to a start command signal, said start signal is received through a transceiver.

16. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein said learn controller calculates a minimum starter motor activation time T_m, defined as the total starter motor activation time minus an average operator response time T_delta seconds, within a minimum value of 475 ms and a maximum value of 3 seconds, said remote start controller automatically cutting off said starter motor after T_m seconds, regardless of whether said engine has started or not.

17. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein T_delta is approximately 200 ms and corresponds to the average operator response time.

18. A device as defined in claim 7, further comprising a temperature sensor, said temperature sensor capable of determining if the engine is of appropriate temperature to enter a learn mode and calculate K, whereby K is not calculated if the engine is warm.