Systems and methods for adding a trainable transceiver to a vehicle

• US 9,947,159 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2017
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Geerlings, Steven L., Wright, Thomas S., Witkowski, Todd R., Hamlin, Bradley R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, NABIL H
• Application Number:
  US15/465,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20170193722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00849 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00888 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device includes a trainable transceiver and a remote button module. The trainable transceiver base station configured to be mounted in the vehicle at a first location and the remote button module separated from the base station and configured to be mounted in the vehicle at a second location. The remote button module is configured to wirelessly transmit a command signal to the base station in response to receiving a user input at a user input device, and the base station responds to receiving the command signal by transmitting an activation signal to the remote device, wherein the activation signal is formatted to control the remote device.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a remote device, comprising:

a trainable transceiver base station configured to be mounted at a first location; and

a remote button module separated from the trainable transceiver base station and configured to be maintained at a second location, wherein the remote button module is configured to;

analyze a control signal from a wireless transmitter to determine control information for controlling the remote device;

store the control information in memory of the remote button module;

wirelessly transmit the control information to the trainable base station for training the trainable transceiver base station; and

wirelessly transmit, to the trainable transceiver base station, a command signal indicated by a user input received at a user input device of the remote button module,

wherein the trainable transceiver base station is configured to respond to receiving the command signal by transmitting an activation signal to the remote device, wherein the activation signal is formatted to control the remote device based on the control information and the command signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the command signal is transmitted using a first communications protocol and wherein the activation signal is transmitted using a second communications protocol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote button module and the trainable transceiver base station include a first pair of transceivers configured to transmit and receive using the first communications protocol, and wherein the trainable transceiver base station includes a second transceiver configured to transmit and receive using the second communications protocol.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein transmissions according to the first communications protocol uses less power than transmissions according to the second communications protocol.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein transmissions according to the second communications protocol have a greater range than transmissions according to the first communications protocol.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the trainable transceiver base station comprises an interface for receiving power from a vehicle power system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the interface is at least one of a 12 volt power port or a USB interface.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input device of the remote button module comprises at least one of a touch screen or a button.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote button module comprises a charging interface for receiving battery charging power from the trainable transceiver base station.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote button module comprises an adhesive backing for attaching the remote button to the interior of a windshield of a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote button module is powered by at least one of a battery, a rechargeable battery, or a solar cell.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to be trained to control the remote device based on a transmission from an original transmitter associated with the remote device, and wherein the transmission from the original transmitter is received at the trainable transceiver base station and at least one characteristic of the received transmission is stored in memory for use in formatting the activation signal.

13. A method for controlling a remote device, comprising:

receiving, at a remote button module located at a first location, a control signal for controlling a remote device transmitted from a wireless transmitter;

analyzing the control signal from the wireless transmitter to determine control information for controlling the remote device;

storing the control information in memory of the remote button module;

wirelessly transmitting the control information to a base station for training a base station;

receiving a user input at a user input device of the remote button module;

wirelessly transmitting, from the remote button module to the base station located at a second location, a command signal indicated by the user input received at the user input device;

receiving at the base station the command signal from the remote button module; and

transmitting, from the base station and using a transceiver circuit of the base station, an activation signal to the remote device, wherein the activation signal is formatted based on the command signal and wherein the activation signal is formatted to control the remote device based on the control information and the command signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

coupling the remote button module to a vehicle at the first location; and

coupling the base station to the vehicle at the second location, wherein the base station is configured to draw power from the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

training the base station using an original transmitter configured for transmission to the remote device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving at the base station a transmission from the original transmitter; and

storing in memory at least one characteristic of the received transmission for use in formatting the activation signal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving at the remote button module a transmission from the original transmitter;

storing in memory of the remote button module at least one characteristic of the received transmission for use in formatting the activation signal;

transmitting the at least one characteristic of the received transmission from the remote button module to the base station; and

storing in memory of the base station the at least one characteristic of the received transmission.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

pairing the remote button module to the base station using at least one of a PIN or a physical connection between the remote button module and the base station.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the command signal is transmitted using a first communications protocol, wherein the activation signal is transmitted using a second communications protocol, and wherein transmissions according to the first communications protocol use less power than transmissions according to the second communications protocol.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the command signal is transmitted using a first communications protocol, wherein the activation signal is transmitted using a second communications protocol, and wherein transmissions according to the second communications protocol have a greater range than transmissions according to the first communications protocol.