Remote control device for a motor vehicle

• US 20020027520A1
• Filed: 10/01/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Petznick, Frank, Pietsch, Mathias
• Granted Patent: US 7,336,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• 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

Abstract

A remote control for a garage door opener includes a transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic signals and at least one manual actuator. The transmitter can be arranged in flexible mounting areas inside or outside the motor vehicle and can be spatially separate from the manual actuator. To this end, the invention provides a remote garage door opener that is integrated into the control system that is present in a motor vehicle in such a manner that the manual actuator and the transmitter device are linked with each other via at least one control device that is located in the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A remote control device for a motor vehicle comprising:

a manual activation device;

a transmitter located outside the vehicle interior; and

at least one interface control unit arranged between said activation device and said transmitter.

2. A remote control device as specified in claim 1, wherein said interface control unit is a serial interface.

3. A remote control device as specified in claim 1, wherein said motor vehicle has a data bus, and wherein said manual activation device is connected to said data bus by a first interface control unit and said transmitter is connected to said data bus by a second interface control unit.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein at least one of said interface control units is used for other functions in said vehicle.

5. Apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein said transmitter includes a digital processor for configuring said transmitter.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 5, wherein said vehicle include a diagnostic interface, wherein said interface control unit connects to said diagnostic interface and wherein said digital processor is configurable by configuration signals supplied thereto via said interface control unit from said diagnostic interface.

7. Apparatus as specified in claim 6, wherein said vehicle include a data bus interconnecting said diagnostic interface and said interface control unit.

8. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 further including a display device associated with said manual activation device.