Remote start system for a vehicle having a data communications bus and related methods

• US 7,224,083 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis; Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US11/095,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20050179321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 307/10.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1018 Alarm systems characterised by features related to the general power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/304 with other systems inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00222 by more than one push button
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00849 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed

Abstract

The remote start control system may include at least one vehicle device associated with starting an engine of the vehicle, a remote start transmitter, and a vehicle remote start controller connected to the data communications bus for communicating with the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle. The remote start controller may be responsive to signals from the remote start transmitter. The vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle may include at least one controller, such as the engine management controller or the transmission controller, for example. Alternately, or additionally, the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle may include at least one vehicle sensor. For example, the vehicle sensor may be one or more of a brake sensor, a transmission sensor, a hood sensor, or an engine speed sensor. The remote start system may also include features to provide compatibility with a number of different vehicles.

Claims

1. A remote start control system for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus extending within the vehicle, and a plurality of vehicle devices communicating with one another over the data communications bus, the plurality of vehicle devices comprising at least one vehicle device associated with starting an engine of the vehicle, the remote start control system comprising:

a remote start transmitter; and

a vehicle remote start controller to be connected to the data communications bus extending within the vehicle for communication thereover with the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle, said vehicle remote start controller also being responsive to signals from said remote start transmitter.

2. A remote start control system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle comprises at least one controller.

3. A remote start control system according to claim 2 wherein the at least one controller comprises at least one of an engine management controller, and a transmission controller.

4. A remote start control system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle comprises at least one vehicle sensor.

5. A remote start control system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle sensor comprises at least one of a brake sensor, a transmission sensor, a hood sensor, and an engine speed sensor.

6. A remote start control system according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises art engine starter circuit, and a security immobilizer circuit connected to the engine starter circuit for selectively enabling the engine starter;

and wherein said remote start controller bypasses the security immobilizer circuit to enable remote starting.

7. A remote start control system according to claim 1 wherein said remote start transmitter comprises a remote handheld transmitter to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle.

8. A remote start control system according to claim 1 wherein said remote start transmitter comprises at least a central station transmitter.

9. A remote start control system according to claim 1 wherein said remote start controller comprises a multi-vehicle compatible remote start controller.

10. A remote start control system according to claim 9 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible remote start controller generates at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus for the at least one vehicle device;

and wherein the at least one set of command signals comprises at least one working command signal and at least one non-working command signal for a given vehicle to thereby provide command compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

11. A remote start control system according to claim 9 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible remote start controller stores a set of device codes for a given vehicle device for a plurality of different vehicles, reads a device code from the data communications bus, and determines a match between a read device code and the stored device codes to thereby provide compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

12. A remote start control system according to claim 9 wherein said multi-vehicle compatible remote start controller comprises desired signal enabling means for enabling operation using a desired set of signals for a corresponding desired vehicle from a plurality of sets of signals for different vehicles to thereby provide compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles.

13. A method for remotely starting an engine in a vehicle comprising a data communications bus extending within the vehicle, and a plurality of vehicle devices communicating with one another over the data communications bus, the plurality of vehicle devices comprising at least one vehicle device associated with starting an engine of the vehicle, the method comprising:

connecting a vehicle remote start controller to the data communications bus extending within the vehicle for communication thereover with the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle; and

using the vehicle remote start controller to start the vehicle engine based upon signals from a remote start transmitter and based upon communication over the data communications bus with the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle comprises at least one controller.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the at least one controller comprises at least one of an engine management controller, and a transmission controller.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the at least one vehicle device associated with starting the engine of the vehicle comprises at least one vehicle sensor.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the at least one vehicle sensor comprises at least one of a brake sensor, a transmission sensor, a hood sensor, and an engine speed sensor.

18. A method according to claim 13 wherein the vehicle further comprises an engine starter circuit, and a security immobilizer circuit connected to the engine starter circuit for selectively enabling the engine starter;

and

further comprising using the remote start controller to bypass the security immobilizer circuit to enable remote starting.

19. A method according to claim 13 wherein the remote start transmitter comprises a remote handheld transmitter to be carried by a user when away from the vehicle.

20. A method according to claim 13 wherein the remote start transmitter comprises at least a central station transmitter.

21. A method according to claim 13 wherein the remote start controller comprises a multi-vehicle compatible remote start controller.