Communication module and occupancy counter

• US 10,586,403 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2018
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Lagowski (nee Giles), Autumn N., Metivier, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US16/168,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20190130657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 235384, 235375, 235487
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A method for selecting a number of occupants for a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an input to a user input of a mirror assembly of a vehicle. In response to the input, the method continues by activating a communication module to an active state and activating a status indicator indicating the active state. The method further comprises determining a stored occupant number from a memory and activating an occupancy indicator to illuminate at a first predetermined frequency for a first number of illuminations. The first number of illuminations of the occupancy indicator is equal to the occupant number. The method further comprises monitoring for the user input for an input time period. In response to receiving the input to the user input during the input time period, the method continues by incrementing the occupant number to an updated occupant number.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a number of occupants for a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving an input to a user interface of a mirror assembly of a vehicle;

in response to the input, activating a communication module to an active state and activating a status indicator indicating the active state;

determining a stored occupant number from a memory;

activating an occupancy indicator to illuminate at a first predetermined frequency for a first number of illuminations, wherein a first number of illuminations of the occupancy indicator is equal to the occupant number;

identifying a first fault state and a second fault state of the wireless communication system, wherein the first fault state further comprises an operation error by a controller of the communication circuit and the second fault state comprises a connection error of a wiring harness in communication with the controller; and

activating the status indicator to illuminate at a first predetermined frequency in response to the first fault state and illuminate at a second frequency in response to the second fault state.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to activating the communication module, monitoring the user interface for an input time period.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

in response to receiving the input to the user interface during the input time period, incrementing the occupant number to an updated occupant number.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

in response to the lapse of the input time period, activating the occupancy indicator to illuminate at a second predetermined frequency for a second number of illuminations, wherein a second number of illuminations of the occupancy indicator is equal to the updated occupancy number.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the user input for an input exceeding a predetermined time period; and

in response to identifying the input exceeding the predetermined time period, deactivating the communication module to a dormant state and deactivating the status indicator indicating the dormant state.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

activating the communication circuit to transmit a transmission signal identifying an occupancy of the vehicle.

7. A communication apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a rearview assembly for a vehicle comprising a user interface and at least one status indicator;

a wireless communication circuit configured to communicate via a transmission signal; and

a controller in communication with the wireless communication circuit, the user interface, and the at least one status indicator, wherein the controller is configured to;

activate the wireless communication module to an active state in response to an input received by the user interface;

identify a stored occupant number from a memory;

activate an occupancy indicator to illuminate at a first predetermined frequency for a first number of illuminations, wherein a first number of illuminations of the occupancy indicator is equal to the occupant number;

identify at least one fault state of the wireless communication system, wherein the at least one fault state comprises a first fault state and a second fault state, wherein the at least one fault state comprises at least one of a connection error of a wiring harness in communication with the controller and an operation error by a controller of the communication circuit; and

activate the status indicator to illuminate at a first predetermined frequency in response to the first fault state and a second predetermined frequency in response to the second fault state.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rearview assembly comprises a viewing portion comprising the at least one status indicator.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one status indicator is configured to illuminate an icon in the viewing portion.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one status indicator comprises a toll status indicator and an occupant status indicator.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

monitor the user interface for an input time period after identifying the stored occupant number.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

in response to receiving an input to the user interface during the input time period, increment the active occupant number.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein in response to a lapse of the input time period, the controller is further configured to control the wireless communication circuit to transmit the active occupant number identifying the active occupant number via the transmission signal.

14. A method of selecting a number of occupants for a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving an input to a user interface of a mirror assembly of a vehicle;

in response to the input, activating a communication module to an active state and activating a status indicator indicating the active state;

determining a stored occupant number from a memory;

activating an occupancy indicator to illuminate at a first predetermined frequency for a first number of illuminations, wherein the first number of illuminations of the occupancy indicator is equal to the occupant number;

identifying a plurality of fault states of the wireless communication system, wherein the plurality of fault states comprises at least one of a connection error of a wiring harness in communication with the controller and a controller error of an operation of the communication system; and

activating the status indicator to illuminate at a plurality of predetermined frequencies, wherein the predetermined frequencies are configured to indicate one of the plurality of fault states.