IP Library Granted Patent US 7,911,358
Granted Patent B2
US 7,911,358 · App. 11/511,071 · Granted Mar 22, 2011

System and method for enrollment of a remotely controlled device in a trainable transmitter

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,911,358
App. No.
11/511,071
Granted
Mar 22, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wireless control system is configured to be trainable to control any number of remotely controlled devices. The system can be configured to gather and learn information relating to a signal transmitted by the original transmitter in a manner that is blind to a user of the system. The system can be designed to learn signals automatically such that fewer steps are necessary for a user to train the system to control a particular remotely controlled device. The system can train to remotely controlled devices in this manner with little or no user action required.

Claims (26)

1. A wireless control system for controlling a remotely operated device, the remotely operated electronic device controllable by an original transmitter, the wireless control system comprising:

a trainable transmitter having a learning mode initiated by user input in which signals usable to control remotely operated electronic devices are trained to the trainable transmitter, and an operating mode in which signals trained to the trainable transmitter are sent;

wherein the trainable transmitter is configured to learn information relating to the original transmitter when not in the user initiated learning mode;

wherein the trainable transmitter further comprises:

a transmitter circuit configured to transmit the wireless control signal having control data which will control the remote electronic system;

an interface circuit configured to receive navigation data from a navigation data source; and

a control circuit coupled to the transmitter circuit and the interface circuit configured to receive a transmit command, to receive navigation data, to determine a current location based on the navigation data, and to command the transmitter circuit to transmit a wireless control signal associated with the current location.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a vehicle interior element coupled to the transmitter circuit and the control circuit, the vehicle interior element comprising at least one of an overhead console, a visor, and an instrument panel, the wireless control system being configured for mounting in a vehicle interior;

a receiver circuit configured to receive a wireless control signal from the original transmitter;

a memory configured to store a plurality of control data messages and a plurality of locations, each control data message configured to control a different remote electronic system, the memory configured to associate each location with a plurality of control data messages;

an operator input device;

wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

identify and store data of a wireless control signal received from the original transmitter at the receiver, wherein the wireless control signal transmitted by the transmitter circuit includes the stored data;

automatically associate a location with the stored data and to store the location in a data pair with the stored data;

be operable in a training mode to record location data and received wireless control signal data in sets of data pairs, each set of data pairs representing an association between a location proximate to a remote electronic system and the wireless control signal data stored in the data pair;

search a plurality of data pairs to compare the current location to the location proximate to the remote electronic system stored in each data pair, and to command the transmitter to transmit the wireless control signal associated with the current location and according to the stored wireless control signal data from a data pair when a location proximate to the remote electronic system for that data pair is proximate to the current location, proximate to the current location being within a pre-defined distance;

command the transmitter circuit to transmit a plurality of wireless control signals in response to a single event, each wireless control signal containing a different control data message, the single event being the actuation of the operator input device by a vehicle occupant, and being programmable by the user as to which of the wireless control signals are to be transmitted in response to the single event; and

be user-programmable such that actuation of the operator input device causes the transmitter to send a first wireless control signal having a first control data message and automatically send a second wireless control signal having a second control data message different than the first control data message when the control circuit determines that the transmitter is within a predetermined proximity of the remote electronic system;

wherein a request to begin training is received via a pushbutton; and

wherein the navigation data source comprises a vehicle compass.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

identify and store data of a wireless control signal received from the original transmitter at a receiver, wherein the wireless control signal transmitted by the transmitter circuit includes the stored data;

automatically associate a location with the stored data and to store the location in a data pair with the stored data;

be operable in a training mode to record location data and received wireless control signal data in sets of data pairs, each set of data pairs representing an association between a location proximate to a remote electronic system and the wireless control signal data stored in the data pair;

search a plurality of data pairs to compare a current location to the location proximate to the remote electronic system stored in each data pair, and to command the transmitter to transmit wireless control signal associated with the current location and according to the stored wireless control signal data from a data pair when a location proximate to the remote electronic system for that data pair is proximate to the current location, proximate to the current location being within a pre-defined distance.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR, IT SHOULD BE JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 032514 FRAME 0564. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded Apr 11, 2014
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: GENTEX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032664/0688 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR, SHOULD BE JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY. ADDITIONAL CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT RECORDED @ 032514/0564. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 032471 FRAME 0695. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded Apr 7, 2014
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: GENTEX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032621/0757 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT # 5703941 IS INCORRECT AND SHOULD BE 6703941. PATENT # 6330569 IS INCORRECT AND SHOULD BE 8330569. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 032471 FRAME 0695. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded Mar 21, 2014
From: GENTEX CORPORATION
To: GENTEX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032514/0564 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2014
From: GENTEX CORPORATION
To: GENTEX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032471/0695 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2011
From: BOS, JEREMY; SHEARER, CARL; BLAKER, DAVID A.; SPENCER, JOHN D.; WITKOWSKI, TODD R.
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025874/0487 →