Remote start control system for a vehicle with a bus controllable transmission and associated methods

• US 9,140,228 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US14/208,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00964 Control systems or circuits characterised by including features for automatic and non-automatic control, e.g. for changing from automatic to manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/08 operating on brakes or brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/083 Locking of foot-actuated control actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/086 Locking of hand-actuated control actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/182 including control of parking brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0045 using databus protocols
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/76 Automatic gearshift to neutral
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/08 Circuits or control means specially adapted for starting of engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/087 Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/103 according to the vehicle transmission or clutch status
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0804 : Temperature inside the vehicle cabin
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/00 : Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing

Abstract

A remote start control system is for a vehicle including a data communications bus extending through the vehicle, an engine, a transmission associated with the engine and having a selectable disengaged position based upon a disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus, and a vehicle climate control system operable based upon a climate control command on the data communications bus. The system may include a remote start transmitter to generate a remote start signal. The remote start control system may also include a vehicle remote start controller at the vehicle that may include a receiver to receive the remote start signal, and at least one processor cooperating with the receiver. The at least one processor, in response to the remote start signal may generate the disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus, generate the climate control command on the data communications bus, and start the engine.

Claims

1. A remote start control system for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus extending through the vehicle, an engine, a transmission associated with the engine and having a selectable disengaged position based upon a disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus, and a vehicle climate control system operable based upon a climate control command on the data communications bus, the remote start control system comprising:

a remote start transmitter remote from the vehicle and configured to generate a remote start signal; and

a vehicle remote start controller at the vehicle and comprising

a receiver configured to receive the remote start signal from said remote start transmitter, and

at least one processor cooperating with said receiver and configured to, in response to the remote start signal,

generate the disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus to select the disengaged position for the transmission,

generate the climate control command on the data communications bus to operate the climate control system, and

start the engine.

2. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein the disengaged transmission position comprises park.

3. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein the disengaged transmission position comprises neutral.

4. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is configured to start the engine after generating the disengage transmission position command and before generating the climate control command.

5. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle interior temperature sensor;

and wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command on the data communications bus also based upon the vehicle interior temperature sensor.

6. The remote start control system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle interior temperature sensor is coupled to the data bus for communication with said vehicle remote start controller thereover.

7. The remote start control system of claim 5, wherein the climate control system comprises an air conditioning compressor;

and wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command to activate the air conditioning compressor when an interior temperature sensed from said vehicle interior temperature sensor is above a threshold.

8. The remote start control system of claim 5, wherein the climate control system comprises a heater;

and wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command to activate the heater when an interior temperature sensed from said vehicle interior temperature sensor is below a threshold.

9. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein the climate control system comprises a ventilation blower;

and wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command to activate the ventilation blower.

10. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle remote start controller comprises a multi-vehicle compatible remote start controller.

11. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein said remote start transmitter comprises a cellular telephone.

12. The remote start control system of claim 1, wherein said remote start transmitter comprises a central monitoring station.

13. A vehicle remote start controller for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus extending through the vehicle, an engine, a transmission associated with the engine and having a selectable disengaged position based upon a disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus, and a vehicle climate control system operable based upon a climate control command on the data communications bus, the vehicle remote start controller comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a remote start signal transmitter from a remote start transmitter remote from the vehicle; and

at least one processor cooperating with said receiver and configured to, in response to the remote start signal,

generate the disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus to select the disengaged position for the transmission,

generate the climate control command on the data communications bus to operate the climate control system, and

start the engine.

14. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 13, wherein the disengaged transmission position comprises park.

15. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 13, wherein the disengaged transmission position comprises neutral.

16. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 13, wherein said at least one processor is configured to start the engine after generating the disengage transmission position command and before generating the climate control command.

17. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 13, wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle interior temperature sensor;

and wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command on the data communications bus also based upon the vehicle interior temperature sensor.

18. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 17, wherein the vehicle interior temperature sensor is coupled to the data bus for communication thereover.

19. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 17, wherein the climate control system comprises an air conditioning compressor;

and wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command to activate the air conditioning compressor when an interior temperature sensed from the vehicle interior temperature sensor is above a threshold.

20. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 17, wherein the climate control system comprises a heater;

and

wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command to activate the heater when an interior temperature sensed from the vehicle interior temperature sensor is below a threshold.

21. The vehicle remote start controller of claim 13, wherein the climate control system comprises a ventilation blower;

and wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate the climate control command to activate the ventilation blower.

22. A method of operating a remote start control system for a vehicle comprising a data communications bus extending through the vehicle, an engine, a transmission associated with the engine and having at least a selectable disengaged position based upon a disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus, and a vehicle climate control system operable based upon a climate control command on the data communications bus, the method comprising, in response to a remote start signal from a remote start transmitter away from the vehicle:

generating, using a vehicle remote start controller at the vehicle, the disengage transmission position command on the data communications bus to select the disengaged position for the transmission;

generating, using the vehicle remote start controller, the climate control command on the data communications bus to operate the vehicle climate control system; and

starting, using the vehicle remote start controller, the engine.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the disengaged transmission position comprises park.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the disengaged transmission position comprises neutral.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the engine is started by the vehicle remote start controller after generating the disengage transmission position command and before generating the climate control command.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle interior temperature sensor;

and wherein the climate control command is generated on the data communications bus also based upon the vehicle interior temperature sensor.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the climate control system comprises an air conditioning compressor;

and

wherein the climate control command is generated to activate the air conditioning compressor when an interior temperature sensed from the vehicle interior temperature sensor is above a threshold.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the climate control system comprises a heater;

and wherein the climate control command is generated to activate the heater when an interior temperature sensed from the vehicle interior temperature sensor is below a threshold.