Vehicle remote control interface for controlling multiple electronic devices

• US 7,684,570 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AAMP of America
• Original Assignee: AAMP of America
• Inventors: Riggs, Brett D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faulk; Devona E
• Application Number:
  US10/173,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20030007649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,839 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 455/345, 455/352.3, 710/63, 710/64, 700/94
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/027 Remotely controlled remote control systems in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

An interface device for interconnecting fixed controls of a vehicle to electronic devices. The interface device is capable of receiving control signals from fixed controls, such as steering wheel controls, backseat controls, handlebar controls, and the like, and then transmitting corresponding control signals to the electronic devices. In one aspect, the device is programmable such that the interface device emits signals corresponding to the same signals that would be emitted from a handheld remote control sold in conjunction with the different electronic devices. In one embodiment, the device is an interface between the fixed controls and a replacement stereo receiver. In another embodiment, the device is capable of recognizing spoken voice commands and generating corresponding IR signals in order to control the electronic devices. In still another embodiment, the device is an interface between the fixed controls and multiple electronic devices, such as an audio and video component.

Claims

1. An electronic system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one pre-existing entertainment component for a vehicle having a first plurality of user inputs;

a pre-existing user interface for the vehicle, wherein the pre-existing user interface controls the at least one pre-existing entertainment component by generating a plurality of pre-existing control signals that control the first plurality of user inputs in response to receiving a first plurality of respective user inputs;

at least one additional entertainment component added to the vehicle having a second plurality of user inputs that are controlled by a plurality of additional component control signals; and

a control interface added to the vehicle as an aftermarket product, wherein the control interface is configured to

receive and store at least one of the plurality of additional component control signals in a memory component,

correlate at least one of the plurality of pre-existing control signals with at least one of the stored plurality of additional component control signals, and

transmit the correlated at least one of the plurality of additional component controls signals to the second plurality of user inputs in response to receiving at least one of the plurality of pre-existing control signals,

thereby enabling the pre-existing interface to control both the pre-existing entertainment component and the at least one additional entertainment component with the plurality of pre-existing control signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one pre-existing entertainment component for the vehicle comprises at least one audio component for the vehicle so as to provide sound signals to occupants in the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional entertainment component comprises at least one video component having a display screen for the vehicle so as to provide video signals to users in the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-existing user interface comprises a plurality of user activated switches.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of user activated switches comprise a plurality of stereo control switches for controlling the operation of the pre-existing entertainment component, wherein at least one of the plurality of stereo control signals can be manipulated to produce a recognizable signal that, when received by the control interface, induces the control interface to send control signals to the additional entertainment component in response to receiving subsequent input signals.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the recognizable signal is a sequential actuation comprising depressing and releasing of at least one of the plurality of stereo control switches for one or more times over a period of time.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the recognizable signal is a voltage signal indicative of a period of time that at least one of the plurality of stereo control switches is depressed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the timing signal is an applied voltage signal indicative of depressing at least one of the plurality of stereo control switches for the period of time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of user activated switches includes a orientation select switch such that, when the switch is in a first orientation, the control interface sends control signals to the at least one pre-existing entertainment component in response to receiving input signals from the remaining plurality of user activated switches, and wherein the control interface sends control signals to the at least one additional entertainment component in response to receiving input signals from the remaining plurality of input signals when the orientation select switch is in a second orientation.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of user activated switches are located adjacent the steering wheel of the vehicle and are originally electrically connected to a factory-installed stereo component of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the control interface is adapted to transmit at least some of the additional component control signals to the additional entertainment component as one or more wireless control signals.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless control signals are infrared (IR) signals.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless control signals are radio frequency (RF) signals.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the control interface includes a program mode of operation, wherein the control interface is configured to store additional component control signals in memory in response to a programmer activating a first function key on a handheld remote control.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one additional entertainment component receives a first wireless signal from a handheld remote control upon the programmer depressing the first function key on the handheld remote control to change a first function of the operation of the at least one additional entertainment component, and wherein the control interface produces a signal corresponding to the first wireless signal in response to the programmer activating the pre-existing user interface.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the control interface is programmable such that the programmer may sequentially store a plurality of wireless control signals corresponding to the at least one additional entertainment component in the memory component such that subsequent activation of the pre-existing user interface results in a corresponding wireless control signal being transmitted to the at least one additional entertainment component.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control interface includes a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter so that the control interface receives the first wireless signal from the handheld remote control and stores a corresponding signal in the memory component such that the control interface recalls the stored signal and thereby generates a wireless signal corresponding to the first wireless signal so as to control the first function of the at least one additional entertainment component.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-existing entertainment component is at least one of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) audio component and an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) video component.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the additional entertainment component is at least one of an aftermarket audio component and an aftermarket video component.

20. An electronic system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one pre-existing entertainment component for the vehicle having a first plurality of user inputs;

a pre-existing user interface for the vehicle, wherein the pre-existing user interface controls the at least one pre-existing entertainment component by generating a plurality of pre-existing control signals that control the first plurality of user inputs in response to a first plurality of user activated inputs;

at least one additional entertainment component added to the vehicle having a second plurality of user inputs that are controlled by a plurality of additional component control signals; and

a control interface added to the vehicle as an aftermarket product, wherein the control interface is programmable to correlate at least one of the plurality of pre-existing control signals with at least one of the plurality of additional component control signals such that when the control interface receives at least one of the plurality of pre-existing control signals the control interface transmits the correlated at least one of the plurality of additional component controls signals to the second plurality of user inputs, thereby enabling the pre-existing interface to control both the pre-existing entertainment component and the at least one additional entertainment component with the plurality of pre-existing control signals.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the pre-existing entertainment component is at least one of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) audio component and an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) video component.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the additional entertainment component is at least one of an aftermarket audio component and an aftermarket video component.