Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-31
2003-12-16
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
C340S005100, C340S010200, C340S010340, C307S010200, C307S104000, C180S287000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06664899
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless control apparatus for vehicles which wirelessly controls an apparatus located on a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle side apparatus), and a portable unit (the location of which is hereinafter referred to as a portable unit side) used for the control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally there have been proposed various types of wireless control apparatuses for vehicles which wirelessly control a vehicle-side operating apparatus such as locking means for locking doors. A known exemplary wireless control apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 5-156851 (1993). The control apparatus disclosed in 5-156851 comprises a transmission circuit, reception circuit and microcomputer provided on the vehicle side and a transmission circuit, reception circuit and ID (identification) code generating circuit provided on the portable unit side. In this wireless control apparatus, the vehicle-side transmission circuit generates search waves which are sent out to the portable unit. When the driver carrying the portable unit approaches the vehicle, the reception circuit of the portable unit receives the search waves. Then, the ID code generating circuit of the portable unit generates an ID code, and radio waves carrying the ID code information are transmitted from the transmission circuit of the portable unit to the vehicle side. When the vehicle-side reception circuit receives the radio waves from the portable unit, the vehicle-side microcomputer determines whether the ID code transmitted from the portable unit side coincides with the specific code of the vehicle. When the ID code transmitted from the portable unit side coincides with the specific code of the vehicle, in the case where the doors are locked, the microcomputer actuates an unlocking means to unlock the doors. When the ID code transmitted from the portable unit side does not coincide with the specific code of the vehicle, the unlocking means is not actuated and in the case where the doors of the vehicle are locked, the locked state is maintained.
In this wireless control apparatus, in order that the door locked state is automatically released when the driver approaches the vehicle, it is necessary to always, in other words, substantially continuously or intermittently at predetermined time intervals, send out the search waves from the vehicle side and it is necessary to always hold the portable unit in a state in which the search waves can be received.
Generally, a transmission circuit, reception circuit and microcomputer provided on the vehicle side operate from a battery power source mounted on the vehicle, and the transmission circuit, the reception circuit and the ID code generating circuit provided on the portable unit side operate from a battery power source (internal power source) incorporated in the portable unit. Therefore, in the case where the search waves are always sent out from the vehicle side, the power of the car-mounted battery power source is consumed while the search waves are being sent out, and in the case where the portable unit is held in the reception possible state, the power of the incorporated battery power source is consumed. Since the car-mounted battery power source is charged by driving the vehicle, the drain on the car-mounted battery power source for the search waves does not cause a problem. However, in the case of the incorporated battery power source, which is never charged, when the state in which the search waves can be received is maintained over a long period of time, the power of the incorporated battery power source is consumed, so that it is necessary to change the incorporated battery power source.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a wireless control apparatus for vehicles in which drain on an internal power source on a portable unit side is reduced so that the internal power source can last for a long period of time without being replaced.
An object of the invention is to provide a wireless control apparatus for vehicles in which the drain on an internal power source on a portable unit side is reduced so that the internal power source can last for a long period of time without being replaced.
The invention provides a portable unit of a wireless control apparatus for vehicles, comprising a start signal reception means for receiving a start signal for electromagnetic induction from a vehicle side; a reset means for generating a reset signal based on the start signal received by the start signal reception means; a memory means for storing vehicle information; a communication signal transmitting means for transmitting a communication signal to the vehicle side; a control means for controlling operation of the communication signal transmitting means; and an operation power switching means for selecting between a signal power operation mode in which the portable unit operates from electric power obtained from the start signal and a power source operation mode in which the portable unit operates from an internal power source.
In the case where the start signal from the vehicle side is received in the signal power operation mode, the control means operates from the electric power obtained from the start signal, while the control means is reset by the reset signal of the reset means generated based on the start signal. Thereafter the operation power switching means switches from the signal power operation mode to the power source operation mode. Accordingly, the control means operates from the internal power source and the communication signal transmitting means transmits to the vehicle side the vehicle information stored in the memory means.
According to the invention, the portable unit operates in the signal power operation mode, in which the portable unit operates from the electric power obtained from the start signal from the vehicle side, and in the power source operation mode in which the portable unit operates from the internal power source. In a standby state, in which the start signal from the vehicle side is received, the portable unit is held in the signal power operation mode. Therefore, in the standby state, the power of the internal power source of the portable unit is substantially not consumed, so that the internal power source can be used for a long period of time without being replaced. When the start signal from the vehicle side is received under this standby state, since the portable unit is held in the signal power operation mode, the control means operates from the electric power obtained from the start signal and the reset means generates the reset signal based on the start signal to reset the control means. Then, the operation power switching means switches from the signal power operation mode to the power source operation mode, so that the control means operates from the internal power source. As described above, since the portable unit operates from the internal power source when the driver approaches the vehicle, the internal power source can be effectively used and the portable unit operates from sufficient power when used.
The invention is characterized in that the portable unit comprises a communication signal reception means for receiving a communication signal from the vehicle side. The communication signal from the vehicle side includes a vehicle-side identification code, whereas the vehicle information stored in the memory means includes a portable-unit-side identification code. When the communication signal reception means receives the communication signal from the vehicle side, the control means compares the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and the portable-unit-side identification code. When the vehicle-side identification code included in the communication signal and portable-unit-side identification code are different, the operation power switching means switches from the power source operation mode to the signal power operation mod
Bangachon William
Fujitsu Ten Limited
Horabik Michael
LandOfFree
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