Trainable transceiver system

• US 8,253,528 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Blaker, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, NABIL H
• Application Number:
  US10/533,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,217 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.22, 340/825.22, 340/5.61, 340/5.25, 340/5.64, 340/825.69, 340/4.11, 340/4.12, 340/4.13, 340/4.2, 340/4.3, 340/4.31, 340/4.32, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.21, 340/5.7, 340/5.71, 340/5.72, 340/539, 340/540
• US Class Current: 340/5.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00785 by light
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

A trainable transceiver system includes a trainable transceiver fixedly coupled to a vehicle interior element. The trainable transceiver is configured to receive a characteristic of an activation signal, store the characteristic of the activation signal in memory and to retransmit the characteristic of the activation signal. The trainable transceiver system also includes a portable transmitter that is configured to receive the characteristic of the activation signal from the trainable transceiver, to store the activation signal characteristic and to retransmit the stored activation signal characteristic. The characteristic of the activation signal may be transmitted from the trainable transceiver to the portable transmitter by, for example, an optical transmission or an RF transmission.

Claims

1. A trainable transceiver system for providing an activation signal characteristic to a portable transmitter, the trainable transceiver system comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a characteristic of an activation signal from an original transmitter for actuating a remote device;

a light emitting diode (LED) configured to transmit the characteristic of the activation signal via an optical transmission to an optical receiver of the portable transmitter; and

a control circuit configured to store the characteristic of the activation signal in a memory, and to cause the LED to transmit the stored characteristic of the activation signal in response to an input signal from an operator input device, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the transceiver to transmit the activation signal in response to the input signal from the operator input device, wherein the control circuit is further configured to light the LED in response to the input signal from the operator input device and to visually communicate information to a user of the system, wherein the control circuit is further configured to modulate the LED, while the LED is lit for visually communicating information to the user, to create a light signal having data packets for transmitting the characteristic of the activation signal to the optical receiver of the portable transmitter.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises a data code configured to actuate the remote device.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the data code is configured to actuate a garage door opener.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the data code comprises a cryptographically encoded data code.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter comprises a housing configured as a keyfob.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the trainable transceiver is configured to store the frequency and data code of the activation signal, wherein the portable transmitter is configured to receive the frequency and data code of the retransmitted characteristics of the activation signal.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the trainable transceiver is further configured to receive remote keyless entry data from a remote keyless entry transmitter, to store the remote keyless entry data, and to retransmit the remote keyless entry data to the portable transmitter.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the remote keyless entry transmitter comprises a housing configured as a keyfob.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the trainable transceiver is configured to wirelessly receive an activation signal and to determine the characteristic to be stored based on the activation signal.

10. A trainable transceiver system, comprising:

a trainable transceiver fixedly coupled to a vehicle interior element configured to receive a characteristic of an activation signal from an original transmitter for actuating a remote device, to store the characteristic of the activation signal in a memory, and to retransmit the characteristic of the activation signal via an optical signal sent from an LED; and

a portable transmitter configured to receive the characteristic of the activation signal from the trainable transceiver via the optical signal, to store the activation signal characteristic, and to retransmit the stored activation signal characteristic;

wherein the trainable transceiver is configured to light the LED in response to an input signal from an operator input device and to use a radio frequency transmitter to transmit the activation signal in response to the input signal, wherein the trainable transceiver is further configured to light the LED in response to the input signal to visually communicate information to a user of the system, and wherein the trainable transceiver is further configured to modulate the LED, while the LED is lit for visually communicating information to the user, to create a light signal having data packets for transmitting the characteristic of the activation signal to the portable transmitter.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the characteristic comprises a data code configured to actuate the remote device.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the data code is configured to actuate a garage door opener.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the data code comprises a cryptographically encoded data code.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein the portable transmitter comprises a housing configured as a keyfob.

15. A system according to claim 10, wherein the trainable transceiver is configured to store the frequency and data code of the activation signal, wherein the portable transmitter is configured to receive the frequency and data code of the retransmitted characteristics of the activation signal.

16. A system according to claim 10, wherein the trainable transceiver is further configured to receive remote keyless entry data from a remote keyless entry transmitter, to store the remote keyless entry data, and to retransmit the remote keyless entry data to the portable transmitter.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the remote keyless entry transmitter comprises a housing configured as a keyfob.

18. A system according to claim 10, wherein the trainable transceiver is configured to wirelessly receive an activation signal and to determine the characteristic to be stored based on the activation signal.

19. A trainable transceiver, comprising:

a housing fixedly coupled to a vehicle interior element;

a control circuit coupled to the housing, the control circuit configured to receive a characteristic of an activation signal from an original transmitter for actuating a remote device and to store the characteristic in a memory; and

an LED configured to transmit the characteristic via an optical signal to a portable device;

wherein the control circuit is configured to light the LED in response to a user input signal from an operator input device to visually communicate information to a user of the system, wherein the control circuit is further configured to modulate the LED, while the LED is lit for visually communicating information to the user, to create a light signal having data packets for transmitting the characteristic of the activation signal to the portable device, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the transceiver to transmit the activation signal in response to the input signal from the operator input device.