Method and vehicle system for remote-controlling vehicle audio system

• US 6,781,519 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Diaz, Melvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/577,744
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.24, 340/5.64, 340/5.72, 455/130, 455/132, 455/140, 455/151.1, 455/151.2, 455/151.4, 455/345, 455/352, 341/176, 398/126
• US Class Current: 340/4.42
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system, which is controlled in accordance with an instruction from an infrared remote control unit, uses a radio frequency remote control unit to remotely control the vehicle audio system. A security system receives a command transmitted from the radio frequency remote control unit. In a security control mode, the vehicle security system performs security control based on the command. In an audio control mode, the security system transmits the command to an audio control interface unit. The audio control interface unit converts the command transmitted from the security system into an infrared remote control unit command. Based on the infrared remote control unit command, an infrared emitter is driven to emit infrared rays, thus controlling the vehicle audio system by the infrared rays.

Claims

1. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system controlled in accordance with an instruction from an infrared remote control unit, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from a user'"'"'s remote control unit an audio control command for controlling the audio system by a high-frequency wireless signal;

receiving and demodulating the audio control command transmitted by the wireless signal; and

outputting an infrared remote control signal based on the audio control command to control the vehicle audio system.

2. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 1, said method further comprising a step of generating infrared rays by an infrared emitter driven by the infrared remote control signal.

3. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 2, said method further comprising a step of receiving the infrared rays emitted by the infrared emitter by a receiver for receiving infrared rays emitted by the infrared remote control unit.

4. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 2, wherein the infrared emitter is disposed on a ceiling of the interior of a vehicle.

5. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 1, wherein the audio control command is transmitted using a radio frequency remote control unit for transmitting a security control command to a vehicle security system.

6. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 5, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining whether switching a control mode between an audio control mode and a security control mode is instructed by the radio frequency remote control unit;

switching the control mode when the determination is affirmative; and

when the control mode is switched to the audio control mode, regarding a command received from the radio frequency remote control unit as the audio control command and converting the command into an infrared remote control unit command.

7. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 6, wherein the switching of the control mode between the audio control mode and the security control mode is instructed by a predetermined key operation of the radio frequency remote control unit.

8. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 6, said method further comprising the steps of:

providing an audio control interface unit, connected to the vehicle security system, for generating the infrared remote control signal;

transmitting the audio control command, received from the radio frequency remote control unit, by the vehicle security system to the audio control interface unit in the audio control mode; and

converting, by the audio control interface unit, the audio control command into the infrared remote control unit command and outputting the infrared remote control signal based on the infrared remote control unit command.

9. A vehicle system for remotely controlling an audio system, said vehicle system comprising:

an audio system remotely controlled by infrared rays;

an infrared emitter for generating infrared rays;

a security system for receiving a command transmitted from a radio frequency remote control unit, performing security control in a security control mode based on the command as a security control command, and externally outputting the command transmitted from the radio frequency remote control unit as an audio control command in an audio control mode; and

an audio control interface unit, connected to the security system, for converting the audio control command output from the security system into an infrared remote control unit command and driving the infrared emitter based on the infrared remote control unit command.

10. A vehicle system according to claim 9, wherein the security system includes:

a control mode determining unit for determining whether switching a control mode between the audio control mode and the security control mode is instructed by the radio frequency remote control unit; and

a transmitter for transmitting the audio control command received from the radio frequency remote control unit to the audio control interface unit in the audio control mode.

11. A vehicle system according to claim 9, wherein the infrared rays emitted by the infrared emitter are received by a receiver for receiving infrared rays emitted by an infrared remote control unit.

12. A vehicle system according to claim 11, wherein the infrared emitter is disposed on a ceiling of the interior of a vehicle.

13. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system in a vehicle containing a security system that can be remotely controlled by a radio frequency remote control unit and an audio system that can be remotely controlled by infrared rays, comprising

operating the radio frequency remote control unit to select one of a security control mode and an audio control mode;

transmitting, as a high-frequency wireless signal, a security control command or an audio control command in accordance with said selection;

if a security control command is transmitted, operating the security system in accordance with the security control command; and

if an audio control command is transmitted, converting the high-frequency audio control command into an infrared remote control command for operating the audio system.

14. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 13, wherein the step of converting the high-frequency audio control command into an infrared remote control command is carried out within the vehicle.

15. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 14, wherein the infrared remote control command is emitted from a location on the ceiling of the interior of the vehicle.

16. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 13, wherein a determination of the transmitted signal as either a security control command or an audio control command is carried out by the security system on the vehicle.

17. A method for remotely controlling a vehicle audio system according to claim 13, wherein the selection of the security control mode and the audio control mode is made by a predetermined key operation of the radio frequency remote control unit.

18. A system for remotely controlling an audio system in a vehicle, comprising:

an audio system located in the vehicle and remotely controllable by an infrared command signal;

a security system located in the vehicle and remotely controllable by a high-frequency wireless command signal;

a remote control unit for selectively generating a high-frequency wireless signal for controlling the security system or the audio system; and

an interface unit which outputs an infrared command signal to control the audio system in response to a high-frequency wireless signal for controlling the audio system being generated by the remote control unit.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the security system receives the signal generated by the remote control unit and, if the signal is for controlling the audio system, outputs a command to the interface unit to output the infrared command signal.