SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENROLLMENT OF A REMOTELY CONTROLLED DEVICE IN A TRAINABLE TRANSMITTER

• US 20100007516A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Bos, Jeremy, Blaker, David A., Spencer, John D., Witkowski, Todd R., Shearer, Carl L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.690
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control

Abstract

A wireless control system is configured to be trainable to control any number of remotely controlled devices. The system can be configured to gather and learn information relating to a signal transmitted by the original transmitter in a manner that is blind to a user of the system. The system can be designed to learn signals automatically such that fewer steps are necessary for a user to train the system to control a particular remotely controlled device. The system can train to remotely controlled devices in this manner with little or no user action required.

Claims

1. A wireless control system for controlling a remotely operated device, the remotely operated electronic device controllable by an original transmitter, the system comprising:

a processing circuit configured to receive information based on a signal transmitted by the original transmitter, the processing circuit configured to automatically learn information relating to a wireless control signal to control the remotely operated device based on the received information; and

a transmitter circuit coupled to the processing circuit, the transmitter circuit configured to transmit the wireless control signal having control data based on the signal automatically learned by the processing circuit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a user is prompted to finalize training of the wireless control signal that was learned by the processing circuit based on the received information.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the system is configured to limit when the prompt will be provided based on monitored criteria.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit further comprises criteria configured to limit conditions under which the received information is learned.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing circuit is configured to limit learning of the information based on the received information based on vehicle speed.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to learn the information relating to the wireless control signal to control the remotely operated device based on whether a criteria relating to proximity of the original transmitter to the system is met.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to learn the information relating to a signal to control the remotely operated device based on whether a power of the wireless control signal received from an original transmitter at a receiver of the system meets pre-determined criteria.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a receiver configured to receive the signal transmitted by the original transmitter and provide information to the processing circuit, the receiver further configured to receive signals from a remote keyless entry transmitter.

34. A method for operating a wireless control system in a vehicle for controlling a remotely operated device according to any preceding claim, the remotely operated electronic device controllable by an original transmitter, the method comprising:

obtaining, using a receiver of the system, information relating to a signal transmitted by the original transmitter in a manner that is blind to a user of the system;

storing data in the wireless control system, the data configured to allow the system to send a wireless control signal that controls the remotely operated device; and

transmitting, from a transmitter, the wireless control signal that controls the remotely operated device.

2-4. -4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

11-12. -12. (canceled)

15-18. -18. (canceled)

20-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A wireless control system for controlling a remotely operated device, the remotely operated electronic device controllable by an original transmitter, the system comprising a trainable transmitter having a learning mode initiated by a user in which signals usable to control remotely operated electronic devices are trained to the trainable transmitter, and an operating mode in which signals trained to the trainable transmitter are sent;

wherein the trainable transmitter is configured to learn information relating to the original transmitter when not in the user initiated learning mode.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing circuit further comprises criteria configured to limit conditions under which the received information is learned.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the processing circuit is configured to limit learning of the information based on the received information based on vehicle speed.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the processing circuit is configured such that it does not automatically learn all of the information necessary to train the trainable transmitter based on the information received based on the signal transmitted by the original transmitter; and

the processing circuit is configured to use the information automatically learned relating to a signal to control the remotely operated device to aid in training the trainable transmitter.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing circuit is configured to learn the information relating to a signal to control the remotely operated device based on whether a criteria relating to proximity of the original transmitter to the system is met.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing circuit is configured to learn information relating to a signal to control the remotely operated device based on whether the processing circuit has been trained to remotely control the device.

29. A wireless control system for controlling a remotely operated device, the remotely operated electronic device controllable by an original transmitter, the system comprising:

a processing circuit configured to learn information relating to a signal to control the remotely operated device based on information received based on a signal transmitted by the original transmitter without being prompted to learn the signal by a user of the system; and

a transmitter circuit coupled to the processing circuit, the transmitter circuit configured to transmit a wireless control signal having control data based on the signal learned by the processing circuit.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing circuit is configured to learn information relating to the signal to control the remotely operated device based on whether the processing circuit has been trained to remotely control the device.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing circuit is configured to learn the information relating to the signal to control the remotely operated device based on whether information similar to the received information is received a plurality of times.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the system is installed in a vehicle having a passenger cabin, wherein signals can be automatically learned from original transmitters in at least about 20% of the passenger cabin.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether a code is at least one of a fixed code and a rolling code based on the received information.