A method for training a trainable rf transmitter to transmit variable code signals used to actuate a remote device having a receiver where the transmitter includes a memory that has stored variable code characteristics for a plurality of different remote devices includes initiating a training sequence and generating at least one rf carrier signal having the variable code characteristics associated with one remote device of the plurality of different remote devices. The method further includes transmitting the at least one rf carrier signal to the receiver of the remote device and repeating the generating and transmitting steps for the variable code characteristics of each remote device in the plurality of different remote device until feedback is received from a user that the remote device is activated. Upon receiving an indication that the remote device is activated, the transmitter stores an identifier of the variable code characteristics that activated the remote device.
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1. A method for actuating a remote device having a receiver using an rf transmitter in a vehicle to transmit variable code signals, the rf transmitter including a memory having variable code characteristics associated with a plurality of different remote device types, the method comprising:
initiating an operating sequence to actuate the remote device;
generating a plurality of variable code messages for a plurality of device types using the variable code characteristics;
interleaving the plurality of variable code messages to create interleaved data; and
transmitting the interleaved data.
2. A method according to
3. A method according to
4. A method according to
5. A method according to
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/472,049, filed May 20, 2003. This application is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/US03/35641, filed Nov. 7, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/424,989, filed Nov. 8, 2002. This application is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/US2004/005257, filed Feb. 21, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/448,993, filed Feb. 21, 2003.
The present invention relates to a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and particularly to training a transmitter that transmits a control signal from a vehicle to a remotely controlled device and controlling a remotely controlled device using a transmitter in a vehicle.
Electronically operated remote control systems, such as garage door openers, home security systems, home lighting systems, etc. are becoming increasingly common. Such electronic remote control systems typically employ a battery powered portable RF transmitter for transmitting a modulated and encoded RF signal to a receiver located at the remote control system. For example, a garage door opener system may include a receiver located within a home owner's garage. The garage door receiver is tuned to the frequency of its associated portable RF transmitter and demodulates a predetermined code programmed into both the portable transmitter and receiver for operating the garage door.
As an alternative to a portable transmitter, a trainable transceiver (e.g., a remote control transceiver) may be provided in vehicles for use with remote control devices such as garage door openers, gate controllers, alarm controls, home lighting systems, or other remotely controlled devices.
To enhance security of remote control devices, many manufacturers have implemented rolling code or cryptographic algorithms in their remote control system original transmitters and receivers to transmit and respond to randomly varying codes. A cryptographic algorithm is used to generate and encrypt a new control code for each transmission of the control signal. Typically, to keep track of which code is to be transmitted or received next, sequential code serial numbers are stored that identify which code was transmitted or received last, such that the next code will have associated therewith the next sequential serial number. To enable a vehicle-installed trainable transceiver to effectively operate in such systems, trainable transceivers have been developed that have the capability of recognizing when a received signal has been originated from a transmitter that generates a code that varies with each transmission in accordance with a cryptographic protocol. When such a variable code is recognized, the trainable transceiver determines which cryptographic protocol or algorithm is used to generate and transmit the next code to which the receiver will respond. Typically the receiver of the remote control system also needs to be trained to recognize and accept the transmitter as a valid transmitter for the remote control system (e.g., the receiver may be trained to recognize a unique transmitter serial number associated with the transmitter as valid). In addition, the receiver and transmitter are typically synchronized to a counter that increments or changes in a predictable way with each button press. The training of the receiver of the remote control system is commonly referred to as the second part of the training process or receiver training. An example of a trainable transceiver configured to learn variable codes as well as methods for synchronizing rolling codes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,804 herein incorporated by reference.
In accordance with one embodiment, a method for actuating a remote device having a receiver using an RF transmitter in a vehicle to transmit variable code signals, the RF transmitter including a memory having variable code characteristics associated with a plurality of different remote devices includes initiating an operating sequence to actuate the remote device, generating a plurality of RF carrier signals, each RF carrier signal including variable code characteristics associated with a different remote device from the plurality of different remote devices, and transmitting the plurality of RF carrier signals to the receiver of the remote device in order to remotely actuate the remote device.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method for training a trainable RF transmitter in a vehicle to transmit variable code signals used to actuate a remote device having a receiver, the trainable transmitter having a memory including stored variable code characteristics for a plurality of different remote devices, includes initiating a training sequence, generating at least one RF carrier signal having variable code characteristics associated with one remote device from the plurality of different remote devices, transmitting the at least one RF carrier signal to the receiver of the remote device, repeating the generating and transmitting steps for the variable code characteristics of each remote device in the plurality of different remote devices until feedback is received from a user that the remote device is activated, and upon receiving an indication that the remote device is activated, storing an identifier of the variable code characteristics that activated the remote device.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, a method for training a trainable RF transmitter in a vehicle to transmit variable code signals used to actuate remote devices, the trainable transmitter including a memory having stored variable code characteristics for a plurality of different remote devices, includes receiving inputs from a user, identifying a remote device to be actuated from the plurality of different remote devices based on the received inputs, and associating the identified remote device with a user input device of the trainable transmitter for subsequent transmission of a variable code signal having variable code characteristics of the identified remote device to actuate the identified remote device.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method for training a trainable RF transmitter in a vehicle to transmit variable code signals used to actuate remote devices, the trainable transmitter including a memory having stored variable code characteristics for a plurality of different remote devices includes receiving inputs from a user, identifying a remote device to be actuated from the plurality of different remote devices based on the received inputs, generating an RF carrier signal having variable code characteristics of the identified remote device, and transmitting the RF carrier signal to a receiver of the identified remote device to actuate the identified remote device.
In accordance with a further embodiment, a trainable transmitter in a vehicle for transmitting variable code signals used to actuate remote devices includes a memory having stored variable code characteristics for a plurality of different remote devices, a user input device configured to receive inputs from a user, a control circuit coupled to the user input device and the memory and configured to receive the inputs from the user input device, to identify a remote device from the plurality of different remote devices based on the received inputs and to associate the identified remote device with the user input device for subsequent transmission of a variable code signal having variable code characteristics of the identified remote device, and a transmitter circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to transmit the variable code signal to actuate the identified remote device.
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Trainable transmitter 35 includes a control circuit 32 configured to control the various portions of transmitter 35, to store data in a memory 31, to operate preprogrammed functionality, etc. Control circuit 32 may include various types of control circuitry, digital and/or analog, and may include a microprocessor, microcontroller, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other circuitry configured to perform various input/output, control, analysis, and other functions as described herein. Control circuit i32 is coupled to user interface 34 which may include an operator input device which includes one or more push button switches, but may alternatively include other user input devices, such as switches, knobs, dials, etc., or even a voice-actuated input control circuit configured to receive voice signals from a vehicle occupant and to provide such signals to control circuit 32 for control of transmitter 35.
Transmitter 35 is used to control remote control system 33 that uses a rolling control code. Once transmitter circuit 30 and control circuit 32 are trained to the carrier frequency and cryptographic algorithm associated with the remote control system 33 (e.g., a garage door opener), transmitter circuit 30 may then be used to transmit an RF signal B that has the characteristics necessary to activate remote control system 33 to a receiver 37 located at the remote control system 33.
Control circuit 32 includes data input terminals for receiving signals from the user interface 34 indicating, for example, that a training mode should be initiated, that an operating mode should be initiated, or for receiving information regarding the remote control system 33, etc. The training mode or operating mode may be initiated by, for example, actuating a push button, by a message on a vehicle bus (if the transceiver is mounted in a vehicle), a combination of key presses, selecting a menu item on a display, etc. The training and operating processes are is discussed in further detail below with respect to
Control circuit 32 is also coupled to transmitter circuit 30. Transmitter circuit 30 is configured to communicate with receiver 37 of the remote control system and may be used to transmit signals via antenna 38. In an alternative embodiment, trainable transmitter 35 may include a plurality of transmitter circuits 30 and/or antennas 38 in order to transmit multiple signals at multiple frequencies. Once transmitter 35 has been trained, receiver 37 of the remote control system 33 is synchronized with transmitter circuit 30 regarding the variable control code (and its associated serial number) generated using the cryptographic algorithm that was either received last or that is expected to be transmitted next. The receiver is also trained to recognize and accept transmitter 35 as a valid transmitter and synchronize a rolling code counter(s).
In another embodiment, an RF signal for each system stored in memory may be transmitted simultaneously. In this embodiment, a separate transmitter circuit 30 (shown in
At each activation, the transmitter cycles through the various rolling code protocols in memory and generates an interleaved message(s). Depending on the number of rolling code protocols or systems stored in memory, more than one interleaved message may be required (i.e., each message will represent a subset of the protocols/systems in memory). As mentioned above, if the remote control system corresponds to one of the systems for which characteristics are stored in the transmitter, the remote control system should be actuated by the transmission of signals for all possible systems (e.g., simultaneously). Accordingly, the remote control system and its associated variable code characteristics (e.g., rolling code protocol) do not need to be identified by the transmitter. Each time the rolling code transmission process is initiated, the rolling code value unique to each system is incremented. As mentioned above, the receiver 37 (see
If the remote control system is not activated (block 608), it is determined whether the last stored system in memory has been reached at block 614. If the last stored system has not been reached, the index counter is incremented at block 612. The system and characteristics identified by the incremented index number in memory are used to generate an RF control signal transmitted to the remote control system (block 606). The process is repeated for each system stored in memory until either the remote system is activated or all possible systems have been tried. If, at block 614, the last stored system has been reached and the remote system has not been activated, the process may start over at block 604.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the trainable transmitter as shown in the preferred and other exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, circuit elements, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited herein. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as described herein. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and/or omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the preferred and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as expressed herein.
Spencer, John D., Geerlings, Steven L., Blaker, David A., Vredevoogd, Loren D.
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