Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-08
2001-04-17
Paladini, Albert W. (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C439S076200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06218740
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the art of vehicle security systems or supplemental controllers such as a vehicle convenience system or keyless entry system. More particularly, this invention relates to the new and unobvious integration module that allows the installer to easily integrate a supplemental controller into a vehicle system partially or completely eliminating the need to splice into the wiring or harnesses of a vehicle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Today's vehicles are very sophisticated and complex. They combine mechanical state of the art together with electronic controls, monitoring and sensory inputs. One or more processors collect and process information to deliver performance, efficiency and comfort to the user. These processors control fuel delivery, emissions, safety responses, and user controllable functions or appliances (hereafter “functions”) such as, but not limited to, keyless entry, window control, trunk access, climate control, audio systems, video systems, global positioning and/or navigation displays. The list of user convenience features is growing each year.
Because not every vehicle is built with every electronic accessory, the market for these accessories is flourishing. Today the consumer has a choice of adding accessories such as security, keyless entry, navigation, telecommunications, computers, audio, and/or video systems to his or her vehicle. These accessories are controlled with a supplemental controller, which often operates the same functions as another controller of the vehicle. For example, keyless entry system controls the power door locks of the vehicle, which function may also be controlled by the body controller of the vehicle. Another example is the trunk release solenoid that is controlled by the body controller and by the security system or keyless entry system. Yet another example is power windows that are controlled by the body controller and the security system or keyless entry system.
Prior to the present invention, installers of these systems had to identify and isolate the specific wires stemming from the vehicle controller and splice into these wires. Moreover, installers often had to add additional interface circuitry such as diodes, resistors, relays, inductors, capacitors and/or amplifiers to complete the circuit. This practice is disadvantageous for a number of reasons. Isolation of the right wires is difficult and the wires are often not readily accessible. Splicing into the wires requires careful attention to disassembly and assembly. Wires have to be carefully and professionally isolated so as not to cause sparks, shorts, malfunction or rattles. Additionally, locating, splicing, disassembling and reassembling a vehicle is time consuming and expensive. Therefore, there remains a need for an efficient way to interface supplemental controllers with the existing wiring harnesses of a vehicle to eliminate some or all of the requisite splicing into the existent wiring of a vehicle to control user controllable functions and appliances such as doors, trunk, window, lights, audio, video, security, communications, telecommunications, computers, seat position, climate control and navigation to name a few examples.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an integration module that provides a clean, accurate, efficient and professional installation of one or more supplemental controllers such as a security system. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the integration module is matched to the body controller of the specific vehicle or platform. Namely, it has a set of inputs, outputs and a connection for one or more harnesses for a supplemental controller. In the preferred embodiment, if the body controller has three female output connectors connected to the respective male connectors that are a part of wire harnesses, the integration module has a set of respective female inputs and integration wire harnesses having male end connectors on each terminal end. Accordingly, in the example above, the original wire harnesses of the vehicle are disconnected from the body controller, first male ends of the integration wire harness are connected to the body controller and its opposite end are connected to the corresponding integration module inputs. On the output end of the integration module, the original disconnected wire harnesses are connected to the corresponding female connector outputs of the integration module. Accordingly, connection to the control wires of the vehicle is clean and efficient, as the original connectors are unplugged, the integration module is plugged in their place and the connections between the body controller and the original connectors are reestablished by plugging the original connectors into the outputs of the integration module.
The input and the output connections through the integration module are maintained through a circuit board. Because the supplemental controller seeks access to certain traces (primary paths), connections to these traces are provided on the circuit board. The select traces are then connected to an output connector, which in turn is connected to a harness leading to the supplemental controller. This, therefore, provides a clean, accurate, reliable, time and cost efficient installation because the installer does not have to isolate the correct wires emanating from the body controller and splice into them.
Moreover, circuitry can be placed on the circuit board to isolate the supplemental controller from the body controller or the functions that it controls. As an example, isolation diodes can be placed on the circuit board. Another example is placing light-flash relays on the circuit board. This allows the manufacturer of the integration module to place the circuitry on the board efficiently and error free.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide an integration module that provides a clean, accurate, efficient and professional installation of one or more supplemental controllers such as a security system. It is the object of the present invention to provide an integration module that is matched to the body controller of a vehicle. It is the object of the present invention to provide an integration module having at least one input and output connector, wherein the input connectors are joined with the output of the body controller and output connector are joined with the wiring harnesses that originally joined with the body controller. It is the object of the present invention to provide a circuit board connecting the input and the output connections through the integration module. It is the object of the present invention to provide connection to select traces/primary paths of the circuit board. It is the object of the present invention to connect the select traces to an output connector via one or more supplemental traces that are connected to a harness leading to the supplemental controller. It is the object of the present invention to provide a clean, accurate, reliable, time and cost efficient installation. It is a further object of the present invention to place circuitry or electronic components on the circuit board between one or more primary pths and supplemental paths to interface with or isolate the supplemental controller and the body controller or the functions that they control.
These and other objects of the invention may be found from a fair reading of the description of the preferred embodiment taken along with the drawings appended hereto. The scope of protection sought by the inventors may be gleaned from a fair reading of the claims that conclude this specification.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4814693 (1989-03-01), Cohen
patent: 5315252 (1994-05-01), Puetz et al.
patent: 5535620 (1996-07-01), Nichols
patent: 5897385 (1999-04-01), Kasai
patent: 5971623 (2000-10-01), Wanamker
Directed Electronics Inc.
Paladini Albert W.
Talpalatsky Sam
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