Wireless communication system for vehicle

• US 6,944,528 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Inventors: Nagano, Tetsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/638,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20040043802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/49, 307/10.1, 340/426.13, 340/426.16, 340/426.17, 340/426.36
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• 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 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A wireless communication system for a vehicle, including: a portable transmitter-receiver adapted to communicate information wirelessly; a main controller mounted on the vehicle, the main controller adapted to communicate information wirelessly with the portable transmitter-receiver, to determine whether the portable transmitter-receiver is located within a communicatable range, and to output an enable signal when the portable transmitter-receiver is located within the communicatable range; a sub-controller mounted on the vehicle and connected to the main controller, the sub-controller adapted to enable-control of a vehicle mounted electronic device when the enable signal is input from the main controller.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system for a vehicle, comprising:

a portable transmitter-receiver adapted to communicate information wirelessly;

a main controller mounted on the vehicle, the main controller adapted to communicate information wirelessly with the portable transmitter-receiver, to determine whether the portable transmitter-receiver is located within a communicatable range, and to output an enable signal when the portable transmitter-receiver is located within the communicatable range; and

a sub-controller mounted on the vehicle and connected to the main controller, the sub-controller adapted to enable control of a vehicle mounted electronic device when the enable signal is input from the main controller,

wherein the sub-controller comprises an operation input section adapted to input manual operation for controlling the vehicle mounted electronic device,

wherein the sub-controller enables controlling of the vehicle mounted electronic device based on the manual operation input by the operation input section when the enable signal is input from the main controller, and disables controlling of the vehicle mounted electronic device based on the manual operation input by the operation input section when no enable signal is input from the main controller,

wherein the main controller outputs the enable signal at predetermined intervals when the portable transmitter-receiver is located within the communicatable range,

wherein the sub-controller enables controlling of the vehicle mounted electronic device based on the manual operation input by the operation input selection for a predetermined time period when the enable signal is input from the main controller, and

wherein, when the predetetermined time period has been reached, the main controller queries the portable transmitter-receiver again to determine if the portable transmitter-receiver is located within the communicatable range, and if so, the main controller outputs the enable signal again so that the sub-controller will allow manual operation input by the operation input section for another predetermined time period that occurs immediately after the predetermined time period has ended.

2. The wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the vehicle mounted electronic device comprises a motor for driving a power window of the vehicle, and

wherein the operation input section comprises a switch for controlling the motor.

3. The wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the time period is longer than the intervals of the output of the enable signal.

4. The wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the information transmitted from the portable transmitter-receiver to the main controller includes an ID code set uniquely to the portable transmitter-receiver, and

wherein the main controller outputs the enable signal when he ID code is determined to be valid.

5. The wireless communication system as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the main controller transmits a request signal to the portable transmitter-receiver for requesting a transmission of the ID code in a predetermined period.

6. The wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub-controller enables controlling of the vehicle mounted electronic device based on the manual operation input by the operation input section when the enable signal is input from the main controller, irrespective as to whether or not a vehicle operation has physically input a manual operation command on a particular location on the vehicle.