Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Of burglary or unauthorized use
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-08
2001-11-27
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Of burglary or unauthorized use
C340S425500, C340S430000, C340S439000, C340S457000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323760
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a column combination switch for automobile installed in a steering column of an automobile.
BACKGROUND ART
A prior art is described while referring to
FIG. 6
to FIG.
8
.
FIG. 6
is a block diagram of a conventional column combination switch for automobile. Reference numeral
19
is a column combination switch main body, and reference numeral
20
is a light control switch unit, in which various switches are incorporated including the light switch, dimmer-passing switch, and turn switch. Reference numeral
21
is a wiper control switch unit, which accommodates various switches relating to the wiper including the front and rear wiper switches and washer switch. Reference numeral
22
is control means. Reference numeral
23
is a connector for communicating between the column combination switch and external devices by signals, and these signal communications are realized by a multiplex transmission system.
FIG.
7
and
FIG. 8
are system diagrams of remote keyless entry system. In
FIG. 7
, reference numeral
12
is a transmitter main body of remote keyless entry system, reference numeral
13
is a signal generator for generating an aerial propagation signal, reference numeral
14
is a memory unit storing specific information, reference numeral
15
is a power source of the transmitter main body
12
, reference numeral
16
is a transmission circuit for converting the output electric signal from the signal generator
13
into a radio signal and transmitting, and reference numeral
17
is a operation switch of the transmitter main body
12
. Reference numeral
24
is a receiver main body,
25
is a power source unit, reference numeral
26
is a memory unit storing specific signals, reference numeral
27
is a comparator for comparing with received specified information, reference numeral
28
is control means, and reference numeral
29
is a receiving unit, which is connected to the control means
28
. The receiving unit
29
of the receiver main body
24
is accommodated in the door of an automobile main body
31
as shown in
FIG. 8
, and a controller
30
for locking and unlocking the door is also incorporated in the door.
In this conventional system, the mutual relation of constituent elements and operation are described below. When the switch units
20
,
21
of the column combination switch are manipulated, signals showing switch positions of the switch units
20
,
21
are put into the control means
22
, and the control means
22
processes these signals, and communicates with the external system through the connector
23
. On the other hand, in the remote keyless entry system, by pushing the operation switch
17
of the transmitter main body
12
side, the signal generator
13
issues information of the memory
14
, and transmits the information specified by the transmission circuit
16
. In the receiver main body
24
, specified information is received in the receiving unit
29
, and the processed signal is compared with the specified information stored in the memory unit
26
in the control means
28
by the comparator
27
, and when the both are matched, a door lock or unlock signal is issued to the controller
30
, so that the vehicle door is locked or unlocked.
That is, without having to insert the key into the keyhole in the door, the specified information is transmitted from the transmitter main body
12
, and compared with the specified information stored in the receiver main body
24
at the vehicle side, and when the both are matched, the door is locked or unlocked. When attempted to lock or unlock the door by inserting the key into the keyhole in the door, if carrying something in both hands or in the nighttime, it is hard to insert the key smoothly into the keyhole in the door, and it takes much time, or the vehicle may be scratched by the edge of the key. Instead of the key, by transmitting the specified information from the transmitter main body
12
to the receiver main body
24
at the vehicle side, the door is locked or unlocked. Therefore, by transmitting specified information from the transmitter main body
12
, and comparing the specified information received in the receiver main body
24
and the specified information stored in the memory unit by an electronic circuit, the door can be locked or unlocked. This system may be also applied in various control devices, such as the trunk room lid locking and unlocking device, windowpane opening and closing device, or engine starting device.
Thus, in the remote keyless entry system, the signal from the transmitter main body
12
is received by the receiving unit
29
built in the door, and the door is locked or unlocked by comparing process, but since the receiving unit
29
in the door is surrounded by metal panels, which makes it hard to receive radio waves, and in the signal receiving range, the distance from the receiving unit
29
is short, and the receiving direction is also limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the problems, the column combination switch for automobile of the invention is comprised by integrating the receiving means of the remote keyless entry system. In this constitution, by integrating the receiving device of the remote keyless entry system in the column combination switch, the transmission signal of the remote keyless entry system transmitted from outside of the automobile is hardly blocked, and the receiving distance is longer, and the direction limitation is also reduced.
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patent: 4383242 (1983-05-01), Sassover et al.
patent: 4973958 (1990-11-01), Hirano et al.
patent: 5040168 (1991-08-01), Maue et al.
patent: 5677665 (1997-10-01), Amano et al.
patent: 5896094 (1999-04-01), Narisada et al.
patent: 5942985 (1999-08-01), Chin
patent: 4-362898 (1992-12-01), None
patent: 7-312513 (1995-11-01), None
patent: 8-199885 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 9-112102 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 9-207717 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 10-157534 (1998-06-01), None
Inoue Makoto
Nishimoto Susumu
Oike Kouji
Sasanouchi Kiyotaka
Hofsass Jeffery
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nguyen Hung
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