System and method for activating electromechanical systems using flexible intelligent radio frequency modules

• US 8,098,130 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics Automotive Inc
• Original Assignee: Flextronics Automotive Inc
• Inventors: Baruco, Samuel R., Matkiwsky, Yaroslaw, Rabinovich, Victor, Grills, Reginald C., Bednarchuk, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US12/155,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.36, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/5.7, 340/5.72, 340/5.84
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40039 Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40234 Local Interconnect Network LIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle, including at least one first flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, for receiving wireless communications signals; at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, for receiving wireless communications signals from a transponder, at least one third flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, for transmitting a signal when its capacitance is changed when an object is proximal to the at least one third flexible intelligent radio frequency module; at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, for receiving sounds external to the vehicle; and a vehicle bus in communication with the at least one first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules.

Claims

1. A system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle, comprising:

at least one first flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to receive wireless communications signals;

at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to receive wireless communications signals from a transponder;

at least one third flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to transmit a signal when its capacitance is changed when an object is proximal to the at least one third flexible intelligent radio frequency module;

at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to receive sounds external to the vehicle;

a control module in communication with the vehicle bus and configured to receive wireless communication signals, the control module including a digital signal controller, a LIN physical interface configured to support a vehicle bus and a CAN transceiver; and

the vehicle bus in communication with the at least one first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules, wherein at least one first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules and the control module are configured to communicate with each other in order to activate the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module from a sleep state to receive the sounds external to the vehicle.

2. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a transponder/keyfob configured to generate a wireless communications signal in response to receiving a detection signal communicated by the at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module.

3. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 2, wherein the transponder/keyfob is further configured to generate and communicate at least one authentication code.

4. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 2, wherein the at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module is configured to transmit a low frequency signal and, in response to said transponder/keyfob being within range of the low frequency signal, receive a response signal from the transponder/keyfob of the low frequency signal.

5. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module is further configured to activate the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module in response to determining that a wireless communications signal has been received.

6. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module is further configured to generate and communicate a command notification signal to one or more of the at least one first, second, and third flexible intelligent radio frequency modules in response to determining a voice command, and wherein the one or more of the at least one first, second, and third flexible intelligent radio frequency modules is further configured to generate a command signal to command an electromechanical system to activate.

7. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one first, second, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules are in communication with at least one antenna coupled to the vehicle and configured to receive wireless communications signals.

8. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module is in communication with at least one microphone.

9. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module further comprises a voice recognition system.

10. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules operate with low frequency radio frequency signals between approximately 30 kHz and 300 kHz.

11. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second flexible intelligent radio frequency modules operate with ultrahigh radio frequency signals between approximately 300 MHz and 3,000 MHz.

12. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle bus is the vehicle'"'"'s local interconnect network.

13. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle bus comprises a communications line and at least two power lines.

14. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or more of the at least one or more first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules control one of electromechanical devices, control sliding doors, power tailgates, power windows, remote vehicle starters, power locks, car alarms, and panic functions.

15. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control module controls one of electromechanical devices, control sliding doors, power tailgates, power windows, remote vehicle starters, power locks, car alarms, and panic functions.

16. The system for activating electromechanical systems of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or more of the at least one or more first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules is configured to:

receive a notification signal indicative of said at least one antenna receiving a wireless communication signal;

receive voice signals representative of a voice command to activate an electromechanical system;

determine voice command received;

generate a command signal based on the voice command; and

communicate the command signal to the electromechanical system to cause the electromechanical system to activate.

17. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

at least one first flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to receive wireless communications signals;

at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to receive wireless communications signals from a transponder;

at least one third flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to transmit a signal when its capacitance is changed when an object is proximal to the at least one third flexible intelligent radio frequency module;

at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module mounted on the vehicle, configured to receive sounds external to the vehicle;

a control module in communication with the vehicle bus and configured to receive wireless communication signals, the control module including a digital signal controller, a LIN physical interface configured to support a vehicle bus and a CAN transceiver; and

the vehicle bus in communication with the at least one first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules, wherein at least one first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules and the control module are configured to communicate with each other in order to activate the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module from a sleep state to receive the sounds external to the vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, further comprising:

a transponder/keyfob configured to generate a wireless communications signal in response to receiving a detection signal communicated by the at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the transponder/keyfob is further configured to generate and communicate at least one authentication code.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module is configured to transmit a low frequency signal and, in response to said transponder/keyfob being within range of the low frequency signal, receive a response signal from the transponder/keyfob of the low frequency signal.

21. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein said at least one second flexible intelligent radio frequency module is further configured to activate the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module in response to determining that a wireless communications signal has been received.

22. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module is further configured to generate and communicate a command notification signal to one or more of the at least one first, second, and third flexible intelligent radio frequency modules in response to determining a voice command, and wherein the one or more of the at least one first, second, and third flexible intelligent radio frequency modules is further configured to generate a command signal to command an electromechanical system to activate.

23. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the at least one first, second, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules are in communication with at least one antenna coupled to the vehicle and configured to receive wireless communications signals.

24. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module is in communication with at least one microphone.

25. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the at least one fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency module further comprises a voice recognition system.

26. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the first and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules operate with low frequency radio frequency signals between approximately 30 kHz and 300 kHz.

27. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the second flexible intelligent radio frequency modules operate with ultrahigh radio frequency signals between approximately 300 MHz and 3,000 MHz.

28. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the vehicle bus is the vehicle'"'"'s local interconnect network.

29. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the vehicle bus comprises a communications line and at least two power lines.

30. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein one or more of the at least one or more first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules control one of electromechanical devices, control sliding doors, power tailgates, power windows, remote vehicle starters, power locks, car alarms, and panic functions.

31. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the control module controls one of electromechanical devices, control sliding doors, power tailgates, power windows, remote vehicle starters, power locks, car alarms, and panic functions.

32. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein one or more of the at least one or more first, second, third, and fourth flexible intelligent radio frequency modules is configured to:

receive a notification signal indicative of said at least one antenna receiving a wireless communication signal;

receive voice signals representative of a voice command to activate an electromechanical system;

determine voice command received;

generate a command signal based on the voice command; and

communicate the command signal to the electromechanical system to cause the electromechanical system to activate.