WIRELESS VEHICLE ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20100283581A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braun Corporation
• Original Assignee: Braun Corporation
• Inventors: Heigl, Keith D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/854 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/426 against unauthorised use E05Y2400/51, E05Y2400/522 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A system and method for coordinating movement of a powered sliding door module and an access ramp for a vehicle is shown in FIG. 5 An OEM key fob (26a) is modified to send a non-OEM signal when a passenger side sliding door button is pressed A non-OE controller (70) receives the non-OEM signal and, depending on whether the passenger side sliding door is opened or closed, and whether the access ramp is stowed or deployed, sends the OEM signal to open the door before deploying the ramp, or delays sending the OE signal until the ramp is stowed In another embodiment, an OEM receiver is modified to receive a non-OEM signal and the control configured to receive the OEM signal and send or delay sending of the non-OEM signal depending on the condition of the door and ramp.

Claims

1. A method of modifying an OEM keyless entry system of a vehicle to coordinate operation of at least one OEM component with operation of at least one non-OEM component, the method comprising:

selecting a vehicle having a keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the remote control wirelessly communicating with the receiver through a plurality of OEM signals to remotely operate OEM components;

modifying at least one of the remote control and the receiver to send or receive, respectively, a non-OEM signal instead of a selected one of the OEM signals;

installing a non-OEM component in the vehicle;

coupling a non-OEM control module to the non-OEM component; and

configuring the non-OEM control module to receive and/or transmit the non-OEM signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a vehicle includes selecting a vehicle wherein the at least one OEM component includes a power sliding door, and wherein the selected one of the OEM signals includes a power sliding door open/close signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein installing the non-OEM component in the vehicle includes installing a vehicle access ramp that is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the OEM signals is associated with the at least one OEM component for requesting operation of the at least one OEM component, the method further comprising coupling the non-OEM control module to a communication pathway of the vehicle for sending a wired communication signal over the communication pathway to request operation of the at least one OEM component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling a vehicle interior switch to a portion of an additional remote control that is configured to transmit one of the non-OEM signal and the selected one of the OEM signals, wherein the vehicle interior switch is thereby operable to send a wireless signal to remotely operate the at least one OEM component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein coupling the vehicle interior switch to a portion of an additional remote control includes disconnecting the vehicle interior switch from at least some vehicle wiring, and connecting the vehicle interior switch to a circuit board portion of the additional remote control.

7. A method of modifying an OEM keyless entry system of a vehicle to coordinate operation of at least one OEM component with operation of at least one non-OEM component, the method comprising:

selecting a vehicle having a keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the remote control wirelessly communicating with the receiver through a plurality of OEM signals to remotely operate OEM components;

modifying the remote control to send a non-OEM signal instead of a selected one of the OEM signals;

installing a non-OEM component in the vehicle;

coupling a non-OEM control module to the non-OEM component; and

,

configuring the non-OEM control module to receive the non-OEM signal from the remote control.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the non-OEM control module includes a module wireless transmission device that transmits the selected one of the OEM signals.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein modifying the remote control includes replacing an OEM remote control with a non-OEM remote control, the method further comprising configuring the non-OEM remote control to send the non-OEM signal and each of the plurality of OEM signals other than the selected one of the OEM signals.

10. A method of modifying an OEM keyless entry system of a vehicle to coordinate operation of at least one OEM component with operation of at least one non-OEM component, the method comprising:

selecting a vehicle having a keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, the remote control wirelessly communicating with the receiver through a plurality of OEM signals to remotely operate OEM components;

modifying the receiver to be unresponsive to a selected one of the OEM signals;

installing a non-OEM component in the vehicle;

coupling a non-OEM control module to the non-OEM component; and

,

configuring the non-OEM control module to receive the selected one of the OEM signals from the remote control.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying the receiver to ignore the selected one of the OEM signals includes modifying the receiver to receive a non-OEM signal instead of the selected one of the OEM signals, and wherein the non-OEM control module includes a module wireless transmission device that transmits the non-OEM signal to the modified receiver.

12. A method of coordinating operation of a door and a ramp in a vehicle that has been modified for handicapped access, the method comprising:

sending a first wireless signal from a remote control, the first wireless signal corresponding to a request to execute an opening sequence of operation or a closing sequence of operation;

receiving the first wireless signal with a control module;

determining whether to execute an opening sequence of operation or a closing sequence of operation in response to receiving the first wireless signal;

sending a second wireless signal from the control module, the second wireless signal corresponding to a request to move the door; and

,

moving the ramp.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining whether to execute an opening or closing sequence of operation includes determining whether the door is open and the ramp is deployed, or the door is closed and the ramp is stowed, wherein an opening sequence of operation is executed if the door is closed and the ramp is stowed, and a closing sequence of operation is executed if the door is open and the ramp is deployed.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein in response to determining to execute an opening sequence of operation, sending the second wireless signal from the control module occurs before moving the ramp.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a signal that the door is fully open after sending the second wireless signal from the control module and before moving the ramp.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein in response to determining to execute a closing sequence of operation, moving the ramp occurs before sending the second wireless signal from the control module.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein sending the first wireless signal includes sending one of an OEM wireless signal and a non-OEM wireless signal, and wherein sending the second wireless signal includes sending the other of an OEM wireless signal and a non-OEM wireless signal.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the second wireless signal with a receiver, and wherein one of the remote control and the receiver is configured to send or receive, respectively, a non-OEM wireless signal.

19. A vehicle access system comprising:

a vehicle having a powered sliding door movable between opened and closed positions;

a ramp coupled to the vehicle and movable between a stowed position and a deployed position;

a keyless entry system including a remote control and a receiver, at least one of the remote control and the receiver configured to send or receive, respectively, a non-OEM wireless signal, the receiver operable to cause movement of the door between the opened and closed positions; and

,

a control module coupled to the ramp to control movement of the ramp between the stowed position and the deployed position, the access system control module including a module receiver and a module wireless transmission device, the module receiver configured to receive a first signal from the remote control, and the module wireless transmission device configured to send a second signal to the receiver.

20. The vehicle access system of claim 19, wherein the non-OEM wireless signal is the same as the first signal, and wherein the remote control is configured to send the non-OEM wireless signal, the module receiver is configured to receive the non-OEM wireless signal from the remote control, and the module wireless transmission device is configured to send an OEM wireless signal corresponding to a door open/close signal to the receiver.

21. The vehicle access system of claim 20, wherein the remote control is an OEM remote control that is modified to send the non-OEM wireless signal instead of the OEM wireless signal corresponding to the door open/close signal.

22. The vehicle access system of claim 19, wherein the non-OEM wireless signal is the same as the second signal, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive the non-OEM wireless signal, the module wireless transmission device is configured to send the non-OEM wireless signal to the receiver, and the module receiver is configured to receive an OEM wireless signal corresponding to a door open/close signal from the remote control.

23. The vehicle access system of claim 22, wherein the receiver is an OEM receiver that is modified to receive the non-OEM wireless signal instead of the OEM wireless signal corresponding to the door open/close signal.

24. The vehicle access system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle includes an interior switch that is operable to control movement of the door, the vehicle access system further comprising an additional remote control coupled to the interior switch, the additional remote control configured to send the first signal in response to operation of the interior switch.