Wireless communications system and method

• US 8,494,449 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Witkowski, Todd R., Dykema, Kurt A., Geerlings, Steven L., Zeinstra, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US12/328,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/345, 455/569.2, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2609 Arrangements for range control, e.g. by using remote antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices. The system includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle. The transceiver communicates with an electronic device located external to the transceiver.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device for communicating with vehicle electronics configured to control a component of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle electronics are communicably coupled to a first radio frequency transceiver located in the vehicle, the portable electronic device comprising:

a second radio frequency transceiver configured to automatically establish a first wireless communications link with the first radio frequency transceiver when a user approaches the vehicle and further configured to automatically create a second wireless communications link with a third radio frequency transceiver, wherein the third radio frequency transceiver is integrated with a personal computer; and

a memory;

wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to use the second wireless communications link to receive a first data file from the personal computer and to provide the first data file to the memory for storage;

wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to transmit first information and the first data file to the first radio frequency transceiver via the first wireless communications, the first information configured to cause the vehicle electronics to adjust the component of the vehicle;

wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to receive second information from the first radio frequency transceiver via the first wireless communications link and to store the second information in the memory.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second information is operational status information relating to at least one of the vehicle electronics and the component of the vehicle.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the operational status information is displayed.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to operate according to a Bluetooth communications protocol.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the component of the vehicle is at least one of a powered seat, a radio system, a rearview mirror, an external mirror, and an HVAC system.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is further configured to send a second data file to the personal computer via the second wireless communications link.

7. A method for using a portable electronic device to communicate with vehicle electronics configured to control a component of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle electronics are communicably coupled to a first radio frequency transceiver located in the vehicle, the method comprising:

establishing a first wireless communications link with a third radio frequency transceiver with a second radio frequency transceiver of the portable electronic device, wherein the third radio frequency transceiver is integrated with a personal computer;

receiving a first data file from the personal computer at the second radio frequency transceiver via the first wireless communications link;

storing the first data file in memory coupled to the second radio frequency transceiver;

establishing a second wireless communications link to the first radio frequency transceiver with the second radio frequency transceiver of the portable electronic device;

transmitting first information and the first data file from the second radio frequency transceiver to the first radio frequency transceiver via the second wireless communications link, the first information configured to cause the vehicle electronics to adjust the component of the vehicle;

receiving second information from the first radio frequency transceiver at the second radio frequency transceiver; and

storing the second information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second information is stored in memory.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second information is operational status information relating to at least one of the vehicle electronics and the component of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operational status information is displayed.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to operate according to a Bluetooth communications protocol.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the component of the vehicle is at least one of a powered seat, a radio system, a rearview mirror, an external mirror, and an HVAC system.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a second data file to the personal computer via the second wireless communications link.

14. A portable electronic device for communicating pre-programmed setting information to a vehicle module for controlling a component of a vehicle, the vehicle module communicably coupled to a first radio frequency transceiver mounted in the vehicle, the portable electronic device comprising:

a memory unit configured to store the pre-programmed setting information; and

a second radio frequency transceiver configured to communicate with the first radio frequency transceiver and a third radio frequency transceiver communicably coupled to a personal computer, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to receive a file from the personal computer, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is further configured to receive the pre-programmed setting information from the memory unit and to transmit the pre-programmed setting information and the file to the first radio frequency transceiver.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to operate according to a Bluetooth communications protocol.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the pre-programmed setting information is provided by a user.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the pre-programmed setting information comprises information regarding a preferred position of a powered seat in the vehicle and wherein the vehicle component is the powered seat.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17, wherein the pre-programmed setting information further comprises information for controlling the position of a mirror.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the pre-programmed setting information comprises at least one of information relating to a powered seat setting, volume setting information for a radio system, channel setting information for a radio system, climate control information for an HVAC system, position information for a rearview mirror, and external mirror position information.

20. A method for adjusting a vehicle component, the method comprising:

establishing a first wireless communications link between a first radio frequency transceiver coupled to a portable electronic device and a second radio frequency transceiver mounted in the vehicle;

transmitting information stored in a memory of the portable electronic device to the second radio frequency transceiver using the first wireless communications link;

providing the information from the second radio frequency transceiver to a vehicle module for controlling the vehicle component, wherein the information comprises user-provided information;

adjusting the vehicle component based on the information;

receiving second information from the second radio frequency transceiver at the first radio frequency transceiver of the portable electronic device;

establishing a second wireless communications link between the first radio frequency transceiver and a third radio frequency transceiver integrated with a personal computer; and

transmitting the second information to the third radio frequency transceiver.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first wireless communications link is established automatically by the first radio frequency transceiver as a user carrying a portable electronic device approaches the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the portable electronic device is a key fob.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second radio frequency transceivers operate according to a Bluetooth communications protocol.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transferring a data file from the personal computer to the memory of the portable electronic device using the second wireless communications link between the first radio frequency transceiver and the third radio frequency transceiver.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the second wireless communications link is automatically established when the portable electronic device is within a predetermined distance from the personal computer.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting the information stored in the memory of the portable electronic device to a fourth radio frequency transceiver associated with a second vehicle.