Remote control system for operating selected functions of a vehicle

• US 6,853,853 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Boran, Lisa Therese, Symanow, David Anthony, Porter, Mark Edward, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US09/713,115
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.06, 455/404.1, 455/410, 455/552, 455/422.1, 455/423, 455/426.1, 455/427, 455/456.6, 455/458, 455/9, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 455/92, 455/95, 342/357.09, 342/42, 701/207, 370/338, 370/238, 379/196, 379/211, 379/58, 340/571, 340/825.31, 340/436, 340/435
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

A system (10) for long-range, remote keyless control of predefined functions for a vehicle (1) is provided that has a long-range wireless receiver (22) that receives transmission signals (25) from a wireless transmission source (24), such as a cellular phone network or satellite network. A wireless signal transmitter (22) is mounted on the vehicle (1) and uses the same protocol (15) as a hand-held wireless transmitter (12) to perform various vehicle functions, such as locking/unlocking doors (16), opening/closing windows and/or the trunk (18). The advantage being the low cost addition of the long-range control using the vehicle'"'"'s existing short-range RF receiver and electrical infrastructure.

Claims

1. A method for long-range remote control of predetermined vehicle functions on a vehicle having an existing short-range receiver for controlling a plurality of vehicle functions and being wired thereto, and a gateway device in communication with said short-range receiver and a remote long-range wireless transmission source, the existing short-range receiver having communication capabilities with an existing short-range remote control transmission device corresponding thereto, said method comprising the steps of:

said gateway device receiving a long-range coded command from a remote long-range wireless transmission source, said gateway device being mounted on said vehicle, said long-range coded command having a first predefined protocol;

said gateway device translating said long-range coded command into a second predefined protocol defining a short-range coded command;

said gateway device transmitting said short-range coded command to the short-range receiver mounted on the vehicle, said transmission by way of a radio frequency sigal that is the same as a communication signal between the existing short-range receiver and its corresponding short-range remote control transmission device;

said short-range receiver controlling the operation of at least one of a plurality of vehicle functions it is wired to by using the received coded short-range command having a second predefined protocol that corresponds to the long-range coded command received and translated by said gateway device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of said gateway device receiving a long-range coded command further comprises receiving a long-range coded command from a cellular system.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of said gateway device receiving a long-range coded command further comprises receiving a long-range coded command from a satellite system.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of said gateway device receiving a long-range coded command further comprises receiving a long-range coded command from a digital broadcast system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of said gateway device receiving a long-range coded command further comprises receiving a long-range coded command from an Internet connection.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of said gateway device receiving a long-range coded command further comprises receiving a long-range coded command from a phone connection.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of said gateway device receiving a long-range coded command further comprises receiving a long-range coded command from a pager system.