Vehicle security system having advanced wireless function-programming capability
First Claim
1. A remote programming apparatus for remotely programming a system base unit via a wireless link using function setting indicia and data, said apparatus comprising;
- a power source;
a controller;
user operable switches;
an electromagnetic signal transmitter;
a display;
a non-volatile program memory; and
a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller and holding the instructions that control the operation of the controller for formatting and transmitting said function setting indicia and data.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle security system for performing selectable vehicle security functions that are programmable in a wireless manner. The system has a microcontroller controlling a vehicle security interface including at least a siren control unit and a vehicle head/signal light controlling unit. A physically independent remote programming unit is used for transmitting function-programming information to the microcontroller, and a radio receiver is connected to the microcontroller for receiving function-programming information transmitted by the remote programming unit. The remote programming unit includes a switch array for setting up a security function code pattern representing the selected security functions. The remote programming unit also includes a radio transmitter for sending, in an electromagnetic transmission, the function-programming command in a signal string representing the security function code pattern to the microcontroller. The microcontroller stores, in an onboard memory, data identifying the security functions conveyed in a security function code pattern received from the remote programming unit. The programmed functions control the various vehicle security function units. The security system provides an easy function-programming capability without having to remove any system components from the vehicle and without having to use any special and expensive additional equipment.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A remote programming apparatus for remotely programming a system base unit via a wireless link using function setting indicia and data, said apparatus comprising;
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a power source;
a controller;
user operable switches;
an electromagnetic signal transmitter;
a display;
a non-volatile program memory; and
a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller and holding the instructions that control the operation of the controller for formatting and transmitting said function setting indicia and data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
a) load the function-programming menu for said base unit, b) to scroll through a list of programmable features and their settings, c) display the names of user selectable features and their settings on said display, d) to alter the value of function setting indicia and data, e) display the names of altered user selectable features and their settings on said display, f) transmit said user selected command string to said base unit.
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3. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said system base unit is part of one of a vehicle security system, a keyless entry system, or a user convenience system, and wherein said new function settings are stored in said operation memory to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions.
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4. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source, the controller, the user operable switches, the display, the non-volatile instruction memory, and the non-volatile programming memory of said remote programmer are substituted by one of a personal computer, a laptop personal computer and a personal digital assistant.
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5. The remote programming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter of said remote programmer is part of remote programming circuitry that is peripherally attached to or integrally fixed into one of a personal computer, a laptop personal computer, and a personal digital assistant.
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6. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the power source is a battery.
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7. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the power source is alternating current power source.
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8. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter.
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9. The remote programming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display, on which a representation of at least part of the function programming matrix is displayed.
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10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display comprises a graphical interface.
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11. A system for programming a security system base unit with a remote programmer, loading the function-programming menu for said base unit, using said remote programmer to alter function setting indicia and data for selected steps in said menu of the said base unit, transmit a command string comprising a function programming command and function setting indicia and data from said remote programmer to said base unit, said transmit being done via an electromagnetic signal link, wherein the altered function-programming settings are stored to dictate the behavior of the base controller'"'"'s functions, said apparatus comprising:
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a remote programmer comprising;
a power source;
a controller;
user operable switches;
a display;
a non-volatile program memory; and
a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller holding instructions that control the operation of the controller, including instructions to;
a) load the function-programming menu for said base unit, b) to scroll through a list of programmable features and their settings, c) display the names of user selectable features and their settings on said display, d) to alter the value of function setting indicia and data, e) display the names of altered user selectable features and their settings on said display, f) transmit said user selected command string to said base unit;
a base unit comprising;
a controller;
an electromagnetic signal receiver;
an output signaling device;
a non-volatile programmable operation memory; and
a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller holding instructions that control the operation of the controller, including instructions to;
a) determine whether or not a function-programming code is received, b) signal the user that, the system acknowledges the function-programming code and that said base unit is responding accordingly, c) load function-programming settings, d) alter function-programming settings as required by function setting indicia and data received, e) store function-programming settings in said base unit'"'"'s non-volatile operation memory, to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions, f) determine whether a security event has occurred in a default system monitoring operation if the function-programming code is not received, and g) initiate a security system operational function in response to a determination that a security event has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of remotely programming a base unit using a remote programmer, wherein function-programming menu data is loaded from non-volatile memory, selected data is altered by the user of the remote programmer, and sent to the base unit with function setting indicia to control sorting and storage in the operation memory to dictate the behavior of the base unit'"'"'s functions, said method comprising the steps of;
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a) the remote programmer loading function-programming menu data from memory;
b) the remote programmer displaying said data for manipulation;
c) the user scrolling through said data on the display;
d) user altering value of selected function-programming data;
e) altered data being displayed on said display;
f) the user then initiating a transmission of said data and function setting indicia;
g) the base unit receiving said data and said indicia h) the base unit loading specified function-programming settings from operation memory;
i) the base unit sorting and altering said data as indicated by said indicia and storeing said data in said operation memory to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for programming a base unit with a remote programmer, load the function-programming menu from remote programmer memory for said base unit, using said remote programmer to alter function-programming indicia and data for selected steps in said menu of said base unit, transmit a command string comprising a function programming command and function setting indicia and data from said remote programmer to said base unit, said transmit being done via an electromagnetic signal link, wherein the new function-programming setting data is manipulated and stored in operation memory to dictate the behavior of the base controller'"'"'s functions, said apparatus comprising:
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a power source;
a controller;
user operable switches;
an electromagnetic signal transmitter;
a display;
a non-volatile programming memory; and
a non-volatile instruction memory connected to the controller holding instructions that control the operation of the controller, including instructions to;
a) load the function-programming menu for said base unit from remote programmer memory, b) scroll through the list of programmable features and their settings as represented in the function-programming menu for said base unit, c) display the names of the user settable features and the corresponding value or meaning for that feature in the function-programming menu for said base unit, on said display, d) alter the value, e) display the names of the altered user settable features and the corresponding value or meaning for that feature, on said display, f) transmit the function programming command and function setting indicia and data to the base unit for manipulation and storage in the operation memory, to dictate the behavior of said base unit'"'"'s functions.
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Specification