Distance sensitive remote control systems

• US 6,744,364 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Douglas L. Wathen
• Original Assignee: Douglas L. Wathen
• Inventors: Wathen, Douglas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US10/052,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/435, 340/457, 340/457.2, 340/459, 340/460, 340/461, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/326, 340/328, 340/329, 340/332, 340/426-3-4, 340/426.22, 340/426.23, 340/426.36, 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/76 wherein pulse-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A distance sensitive remote control system includes a remote control transmitter that transmit a signal and a receiver than can receive the signal from the transmitter. A control device performs a function having a first and a second option. The control device responds to the signal received by the receiver and performs the first option if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is greater than a particular distance and performs the second option if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is less than a particular distance.

Claims

1. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control transmitter operable to transmit a signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the remote control transmitter;

a control device configured to produce an audible signal or to produce an inaudible signal, said control device responsive to the signal received by the receiver and operable to produce the audible signal if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is greater than a first predetermined distance and to produce the inaudible signal without an audible signal if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is less than a second predetermined distance, the second predetermined distance being less than or equal to the first predetermined distance.

2. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second predetermined distances are the same distance.

3. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the inaudible signal is a visual signal.

4. The remote control system according to claim 3, wherein the visual signal is a flash of light.

5. A remote control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a remote control transmitter operable to transmit a signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the remote control transmitter and to determine the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter;

a confirmation device operable to selectively produce two or more distinct confirmatory signals including a first confirmatory signal and a second confirmatory signal, the first confirmatory signal including an audible signal, and the second confirmatory signal including a visual signal and not including an audible signal;

a control device in communication with the receiver and operable to control a function of the vehicle in response to the signal from the remote control, the control device further being in communication with and operable to control the confirmation device such that when the receiver receives a signal from the remote control, the control device controls the function of the vehicle and causes the confirmation device to produce one of the confirmatory signals, the confirmatory signal being produced depending on the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter.

6. The remote control system according to claim 5, wherein the control device causes the confirmation device to produce the first confirmatory signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second confirmatory signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

7. The remote control system according to claim 5, wherein the function of the vehicle controlled by the control device is a function selected from the group consisting of alarm arming, alarm disarming, door locking, door unlocking, and trunk opening.

8. A remote control system for a vehicle, the vehicle including a light, the system comprising:

a remote control transmitter operable to transmit a signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the remote control transmitter and to determine the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter;

a confirmation device operable to selectively produce two or more distinct confirmatory signals, the confirmatory signals including at least two distinct visual signals produced by the light;

a control device in communication with the receiver and operable to control a function of the vehicle in response to the signal from the remote control, the control device further being in communication with and operable to control the confirmation device such that when the receiver receives a signal from the remote control, the control device controls the function of the vehicle and causes the confirmation device to produce one of the confirmatory signals, the confirmatory signal being produced depending on the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter.

9. The remote control system according to claim 8, wherein a first visual signal is a bright flash of light and a second visual signal is a flash of light that is less bright than the first signal, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

10. The remote control system according to claim 8, wherein a first visual signal is a sequence of light flashes having a predetermined number of flashes and a second visual signal is a sequence of light flashes having less than the predetermined number of flashes, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

11. The remote control system according to claim 8, wherein a first visual signal is an illumination of the light for a predetermined period and a second visual signal is an illumination of the light for less than the predetermined period, the control device causing the confirmation device to produce the first signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is greater than a predetermined distance and to produce the second signal when the distance between the receiver and the remote control transmitter is less than the predetermined distance.

12. A method of controlling a remote function comprising:

providing a remote control transmitter and a receiver;

sending a signal from the remote control transmitter to the receiver;

determining the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver;

performing a first function in response to the signal from the transmitter if the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is less than a first predetermined distance; and

performing a second function in response to the signal from the transmitter if the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is greater than a second predetermined distance;

wherein the first function includes unlocking the door of a vehicle and the second function includes unlocking the door of the vehicle after a delay.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first function further includes producing a first audible signal and the second function further includes producing a second audible signal that is louder than the first audible signal.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first function further includes producing a visual signal and the second function further includes producing an audible signal.

15. A method of controlling a remote function comprising:

providing a remote control transmitter and a receiver;

sending a signal from the remote control transmitter to the receiver;

determining the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver;

performing a function in response to the signal from the remote control transmitter;

producing a first visual confirmatory signal having an adjustable output level, the output level being adjusted based on the distance between the remote control transmitter and receiver.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising producing a second audible confirmatory signal, the signal loudness being adjusted based on the distance between the remote control, the loudness increasing with increasing distance.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the output level is a duration, the duration of the visual signal increasing with increasing distance.

18. A remote control system comprising:

a remote control transmitter operable to transmit a signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the remote control transmitter;

a control device responsive to the signal received by the receiver and operable to produce an audible signal if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is greater than a first predetermined distance and to not produce an audible signal if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is less than a second predetermined distance, the second predetermined distance being less than or equal to the first predetermined distance.

19. A remote unlocking system for unlocking a door, comprising:

a remote control transmitter operable to transmit a signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the remote control transmitter;

a control device responsive to the signal received by the receiver and operable to unlock the door after a short delay if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is less than a predetermined distance and to unlock the door after a delay longer than the short delay if the distance between the remote control transmitter and the receiver is greater than the predetermined distance.