Remote control of automobile component arrangements

• US 7,031,809 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sorensen Research & Development Trust
• Original Assignee: Jens Erik Sorensen, Jens Ole Sorensen
• Inventors: Sorensen, Jens Ole, Sorensen, Jens Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/850,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20050261807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 701/45, 701/33, 701/35, 307 102- 105, 297/378.13, 297/330, 180/167, 180/271, 340/426.1, 34042613-42616, 340/426.35, 340 521- 525, 340/5.81
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A control system causes arrangements of automobile components, such as the driver'"'"'s seat, the steering wheel and one or more mirrors, to be adjusted to a plurality of different memorized preferred component arrangements in response to unique component-arrangement signals respectively received from a plurality of remote control devices. The unique component-arrangement signals are transmitted by the remote control devices together with an unlock-request signal that causes a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile. The control system responds to a lock-request signal that causes the keyless-entry system to lock the doors by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted to a locked position that cannot be utilized for driving the automobile. A distance measuring system separately measures the distance over which the automobile is driven while respectively in at least some of the plurality of preferred component arrangements. The control system can also remotely turn on a personal computer and send a memorized login password thereto.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the position of the driver'"'"'s seat in an automobile, comprising:

a seat positioning control system for controlling adjustment of the driver'"'"'s seat to a memorized seat position; and

a remote control device for transmitting a seat-position signal indicating a memorized seat position;

wherein the seat positioning control system is adapted for responding to said seat-position signal by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted to the indicated memorized seat position; and

wherein the remote control device is adapted for also transmitting an unlock-request signal for causing a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile;

wherein the remote control device is adapted for transmitting a lock-request signal for causing said keyless-entry system to lock the doors of the automobile; and

wherein the seat positioning control system is adapted for responding to said lock-request signal by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted to a locked seat position that cannot be utilized for driving the automobile;

the system further comprising;

safety means coupled to the driver'"'"'s seat for preventing the driver'"'"'s seat from being adjusted while the driver'"'"'s seat is occupied to the seat position that cannot be utilized for driving the automobile.

2. A system for controlling the position of a seat in an automobile, comprising:

a seat positioning control system for controlling adjustment of the seat to a memorized seat position; and

a remote control device for transmitting a seat-position signal indicating a memorized seat position;

wherein the seat positioning control system is adapted for responding to said seat-position signal by causing the seat to be adjusted to the indicated memorized seat position; and

wherein the remote control device is adapted for also transmitting an unlock-request signal for causing a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile;

the system further comprising;

adjusting means coupled to the seat positioning control system and the seat for adjusting the seat in a backward or forward direction in response to the seat positioning control system;

wherein the adjusting means are inhibited from applying more than a threshold amount of force while moving the seat in a backward or forward direction in order to reduce or prevent damage to someone or something disposed behind or in front of the seat.

3. A system for controlling the position of the driver'"'"'s seat in an automobile, comprising:

a seat positioning control system for controlling adjustment of the driver'"'"'s seat to a memorized seat position; and

a remote control device for transmitting a seat-position signal indicating a memorized seat position;

wherein the seat positioning control system is adapted for responding to said seat-position signal by causing the drivers s seat to be adjusted to the indicated memorized seat position; and

wherein the remote control device is adapted for also transmitting an unlock-request signal for causing a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile;

the system further comprising;

safety means coupled to the driver'"'"'s seat and the seat positioning control system for preventing the seat positioning control system from responding to any signal received from a remote control device or from a source that is remote from said automobile by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted while the driver'"'"'s seat is occupied.

4. A method of controlling the position of a seat in an automobile that includes a seat positioning control system for controlling adjustment of the seat to a memorized seat position, wherein adjusting means are coupled to the seat positioning control system and the seat for adjusting the seat in a backward or forward direction in response to the seat positioning control system;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) with a remote control device that is adapted for transmitting an unlock-request signal for causing a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile, transmitting a seat-position signal indicating a memorized seat position;

(b) with the seat positioning control system, responding to said seat-position signal by causing the seat to be adjusted to the indicated memorized seat position; and

(c) inhibiting the adjusting means from applying more than a threshold amount of force while moving the seat in a backward or forward direction in order to reduce or prevent damage to someone or something disposed behind or in front of the seat.

5. A method of controlling the position of the driver'"'"'s seat in an automobile that includes a seat positioning control system for controlling adjustment of the driver'"'"'s seat to a memorized seat position, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) with a remote control device that is adapted for transmitting an unlock-request signal for causing a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile, transmitting a seat-position signal indicating a memorized seat position;

(b) with the seat positioning control system, responding to said seat-position signal by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted to the indicated memorized seat position; and

(c) preventing the seat positioning control system from responding to any signal received from a remote control device or from a source that is remote from said automobile by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted while the driver'"'"'s seat is occupied.

6. A computer readable medium for use with a computer in a seat positioning control system that is adapted for controlling adjustment of the driver'"'"'s seat to a memorized seat position, wherein the computer readable medium contains program instructions for:

(a) causing the seat positioning control system to respond to a seat-position signal that is received with an unlock-request signal from a location remote from the automobile by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted to a memorized seat position indicated by the respective received seat-position signal;

(b) causing the seat positioning control system to respond to a lock-request signal received from a location remote from the automobile by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted to a locked position that cannot be utilized for driving the automobile and

(c) preventing the driver'"'"'s seat from being adjusted while the driver'"'"'s seat is occupied to the seat position that cannot be utilized for driving the automobile.

7. A computer readable medium for use with a computer in a seat positioning control system that is adapted for controlling adjustment of the seat to a memorized seat position, wherein adjusting means are coupled to the seat positioning control system and the seat for adjusting the seat in a backward or forward direction in response to the seat positioning control system;

wherein the computer readable medium contains program instructions for;

(a) causing the seat positioning control system to respond to a seat-position signal that is received with an unlock-request signal from a location remote from the automobile by causing the seat to be adjusted to a memorized seat position indicated by the respective received seat-position signal; and

(b) inhibiting the adjusting means from applying more than a threshold amount of force while moving the seat in a backward or forward direction in order to reduce or prevent damage to someone or something disposed behind or in front of the seat.

8. A computer readable medium for use with a computer in a seat positioning control system that is adapted for controlling adjustment of the driver'"'"'s seat to a memorized seat position, wherein the computer readable medium contains program instructions for:

(a) causing the seat positioning control system to respond to a seat-position signal that is received with an unlock-request signal from a location remote from the automobile by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted to a memorized seat position indicated by the respective received seat-position signal; and

(b) preventing the seat positioning control system from responding to any signal received from a remote control device or from a source that is remote from said automobile by causing the driver'"'"'s seat to be adjusted while the driver'"'"'s seat is occupied.