System and method for configuring a wireless control system of a vehicle using induction field communication

• US 9,324,230 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Chutorash, Richard J., Vanderwall, Philip J., Zeinstra, Mark, Trainor, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): MA, KAM WAN
• Application Number:
  US12/328,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,700 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.25, 340/5.71, 340/10.1, 340/5.61, 340/5.22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/04 using magnetically coupled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for mounting in a vehicle and for providing a control signal to a remote device based on information stored in a portable electronic device includes a radio frequency transmitter for transmitting a control signal to the remote device. The system also includes a first circuit configured to receive first information from the portable electronic device via inductive-coupling between the portable electronic device and the first circuit when the portable electronic device is brought within the induction field of the first circuit. The system also includes a second circuit configured to use the first information received from the portable electronic device and to at least one of format the control signal in accordance with the first information and to cause the radio frequency transmitter to format the control signal in accordance with the first information.

Claims

1. A system for providing a control signal from a trainable transceiver to a remote device based on information stored in a portable electronic device, the system comprising:

(A) the trainable transceiver mounted in a vehicle and comprising;

a radio frequency transmitter for transmitting the control signal to the remote device;

a first circuit configured to automatically receive first information from the portable electronic device via inductive-coupling between the portable electronic device and the first circuit when the portable electronic device is brought within the induction field of the first circuit, wherein the first information comprises a manufacturer identifier and a crypt key, wherein the received first information is stored in a memory; and

a second circuit configured to use the first information received from the portable electronic device to cause the radio frequency transmitter to format the control signal in using at least the first information,

(B) the portable electronic device comprising;

a third circuit configured to automatically receive the first information from the remote device via inductive-coupling between the remote device and the third circuit when the portable electronic device is brought within an induction field of the remote device, and

(C) the remote device comprising;

a fourth circuit configured to automatically transmit the first information to the portable electronic device via inductive-coupling between the third circuit and the fourth circuit when the portable electronic device is brought within the induction field of the remote device, wherein the induction field of the remote device is generated by the fourth circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first circuit, the third circuit, or the fourth circuit comprises a near-field communication (NFC) device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote device is a receiver coupled to a garage door opener and wherein the portable electronic device is a transmitter configured for communications with the garage door opener.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first circuit is configured to send second information to the portable electronic device, the second information configured to request the first information from the portable electronic device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first circuit comprises a loop antenna configured to be located behind a structure of the vehicle relative to a passenger location in the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the loop antenna is configured to be mounted in at least one of a center stack location, a dashboard location, a center console location, an overhead console, a floor console location, an instrument panel location, a door panel location, a visor location, a rear-view mirror, and a headliner location of the vehicle.

7. A method for providing a control signal from a RF transmitter coupled to a vehicle to a remote device based on information stored in a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

automatically receiving first information at the portable electronic device from the remote device via inductive-coupling between the portable electronic device and a first circuit of the remote device, the first information automatically received when the portable electronic device is brought within an induction field of the first circuit,

storing the received first information in a memory of the portable electronic device,

automatically receiving the first information at the RF transmitter from the portable electronic device via inductive-coupling between the portable electronic device and a second circuit included in the RF transmitter coupled to the vehicle, the first information automatically received when the portable electronic device is brought within an induction field of the second circuit, wherein the first information received by the second circuit comprises a manufacturer identifier, a crypt key, and a modulation scheme identifier;

storing the received first information in a memory of the RF transmitter;

using a third circuit included in the RF transmitter to process the first information received from the portable electronic device to cause the RF transmitter to format the control signal using at least the first information; and

transmitting the control signal to the remote device via the RF transmitter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first circuit or the second circuit comprises a near-field communication (NFC) device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending second information to the portable electronic device using the first second circuit, the second information configured to request the first information from the portable electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second circuit comprises a loop antenna, and wherein the loop antenna is configured to be located behind a structure of the vehicle relative to a passenger location in the vehicle, wherein the loop antenna is configured to be mounted in at least one of a center stack location, a dashboard location, a center console location, an overhead console, a floor console location, an instrument panel location, a door panel location, a visor location, a rear-view mirror, and a headliner location of the vehicle.