Wireless vehicle access control system

• US 7,978,119 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Braun Corporation
• Original Assignee: Braun Corporation
• Inventors: Heigl, Keith D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US12/517,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20100283581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176, 318/445, 381/86
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/854 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/426 against unauthorised use E05Y2400/51, E05Y2400/522 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A system and method for coordinating movement of a powered sliding door module and an access ramp for a vehicle is shown in FIG. 5 An OEM key fob (26a) is modified to send a non-OEM signal when a passenger side sliding door button is pressed A non-OE controller (70) receives the non-OEM signal and, depending on whether the passenger side sliding door is opened or closed, and whether the access ramp is stowed or deployed, sends the OEM signal to open the door before deploying the ramp, or delays sending the OE signal until the ramp is stowed In another embodiment, an OEM receiver is modified to receive a non-OEM signal and the control configured to receive the OEM signal and send or delay sending of the non-OEM signal depending on the condition of the door and ramp.

Claims

1. A method of modifying an OEM keyless entry system of a vehicle to coordinate operation of at least one OEM component with operation of at least one non-OEM component, the method comprising:

selecting a vehicle having an OEM keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the remote control wirelessly communicating with the receiver through a plurality of OEM signals to remotely operate OEM components;

modifying the receiver to receive a non-OEM signal instead of a selected one of the OEM signals;

installing a non-OEM component in the vehicle;

coupling a non-OEM control module to the non-OEM component;

configuring the non-OEM control module to receive the selected one of the OEM signals, and to transmit the non-OEM signal;

configuring the non-OEM control module to determine a condition of both the OEM component and the non-OEM component in response to receiving the selected one of the OEM signals; and

configuring the non-OEM control module to transmit the non-OEM signal after determining the condition of both the OEM component and the non-OEM component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a vehicle includes selecting a vehicle wherein the at least one OEM component includes a power sliding door, and wherein the selected one of the OEM signals includes a power sliding door open/close signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein installing the non-OEM component in the vehicle includes installing a vehicle access ramp that is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the OEM signals is associated with the at least one OEM component for requesting operation of the at least one OEM component, the method further comprising coupling the non-OEM control module to a communication pathway of the vehicle for sending a wired communication signal over the communication pathway to request operation of the at least one OEM component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling a vehicle interior switch to a portion of an additional remote control that is configured to transmit one of the non-OEM signal and the selected one of the OEM signals, wherein the vehicle interior switch is thereby operable to send a wireless signal to remotely operate the at least one OEM component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein coupling the vehicle interior switch to a portion of an additional remote control includes disconnecting the vehicle interior switch from at least some vehicle wiring, and connecting the vehicle interior switch to a circuit board portion of the additional remote control.

7. A method of modifying an OEM keyless entry system of a vehicle to coordinate operation of at least one OEM component with operation of at least one non-OEM component, the method comprising:

selecting a vehicle having a keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the remote control wirelessly communicating with the receiver through a plurality of OEM signals to remotely operate OEM components;

modifying the remote control to send a non-OEM signal instead of a selected one of the OEM signals;

installing a non-OEM component in the vehicle;

coupling a non-OEM control module to the non-OEM component;

configuring the non-OEM control module to receive the non-OEM signal from the remote control;

configuring the non-OEM control module to respond to receipt of the non-OEM signal from the remote control by determining a condition of both the OEM component and the non-OEM component; and

configuring the non-OEM control module to transmit the selected one of the OEM signals after determining the condition of both the OEM component and the non-OEM component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the non-OEM control module includes a module wireless transmission device that transmits the selected one of the OEM signals.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein modifying the remote control includes replacing an OEM remote control with a non-OEM remote control, the method further comprising configuring the non-OEM remote control to send the non-OEM signal and each of the plurality of OEM signals other than the selected one of the OEM signals.

10. A method of modifying an OEM keyless entry system of a vehicle to coordinate operation of at least one OEM component with operation of at least one non-OEM component, the method comprising:

selecting a vehicle having a keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the remote control wirelessly communicating with the receiver through a plurality of OEM signals to remotely operate OEM components;

modifying the receiver to be unresponsive to a selected one of the OEM signals;

installing a non-OEM component in the vehicle;

coupling a non-OEM control module to the non-OEM component; and

,

configuring the non-OEM control module to receive the selected one of the OEM signals from the remote control;

configuring the non-OEM control module to determine a condition of the OEM component and the non-OEM component in response to receiving the selected one of the OEM signals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying the receiver to be unresponsive to the selected one of the OEM signals includes modifying the receiver to receive a non-OEM signal instead of the selected one of the OEM signals, and wherein the non-OEM control module includes a module wireless transmission device that transmits the non-OEM signal to the modified receiver.

12. A vehicle access system comprising:

a vehicle having a powered sliding door movable between opened and closed positions;

a ramp coupled to the vehicle and movable between a stowed position and a deployed position;

an OEM keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the remote control having been modified from its OEM configuration to send a non-OEM wireless signal, the receiver operable to cause movement of the door between the opened and closed;

positions in response to receipt of an OEM wireless signal, and being non-responsive to the non-OEM wireless signal; and

,

a control module coupled to the ramp to control movement of the ramp between the stowed position and the deployed position, the control module including a module receiver and a module wireless transmission device, the module receiver configured to receive the non-OEM wireless signal from the remote control, wherein the control module determines the position of the door and the position of the ramp in response to the module receiver receiving the non-OEM wireless signal, and causes the module wireless transmission device to send the OEM wireless signal to the receiver to cause movement of the door after determining the position of the powered sliding door and the position of the ramp.

13. The vehicle access system of claim 12, wherein the vehicle includes an interior switch that is operable to control movement of the door, the vehicle access system further comprising an additional remote control coupled to the interior switch, the additional remote control configured to send the non-OEM wireless signal in response to operation of the interior switch.

14. A vehicle access system comprising:

a vehicle having a powered sliding door movable between opened and closed positions;

a ramp coupled to the vehicle and movable between a stowed position and a deployed position;

an OEM keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the receiver having been modified from its OEM configuration to be non-responsive to an OEM wireless signal and responsive to a non-OEM wireless signal, the receiver operable to cause movement of the door between the opened and closed positions; and

,

a control module coupled to the ramp to control movement of the ramp between the stowed position and the deployed position, the control module including a module receiver and a module wireless transmission device, the module receiver configured to receive the OEM wireless signal from the remote control, wherein the control module determines the position of the door and the position of the ramp in response to the module receiver receiving the OEM wireless signal, and causes the module wireless transmission device to send the non-OEM wireless signal to the receiver to cause movement of the door after determining the position of the door and the position of the ramp.

15. The vehicle access system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle includes an interior switch that is operable to control movement of the door, the vehicle access system further comprising an additional remote control coupled to the interior switch, the additional remote control configured to send the OEM wireless signal in response to operation of the interior switch.